President of the Transport Operators’ Development Sustainable Services (TODSS), Egeton Newman, has indicated that he is not impressed with the outcome of Thursday’s meeting of the National Road Safety Council (NRSC).
The meeting was attended by NRSC Chairman, Prime Minister Andrew Holness, Transport Minister Daryl Vaz, Justice Minister Delroy Chuck, and other key stakeholders in the sector.
Arising from reports from the exercise, Newman told Loop News that nothing new came out of the meeting.
Reports on the meeting have pointed to some suggestions being made, like tightening the breathaliser regulations, essentially to lower the permissible level of alcohol in a driver’s system while behind the steering wheel.
“From as far back as former Prime Minister (Bruce) Golding in 2010-11, we have been making those types of utterances and nothing has changed. It is worse,” said Newman.
TODSS, throughout last year, has been carrying out road safety activities across the island, including rewards being offered to safe drivers from each parish.
Newman said he wants to see some action being taken, not just words being uttered.
“Of course, the interest of TODSS is of action. This is what we do actually everyday with our colleagues and the wider motoring public. Let me say categorically that nothing that was said from the participants of that meeting yesterday (Thursday) is strange to us,” added Newman.
He believes that Thursday’s council meeting was a reaction to the recent spate of deadly crashes involving students.
“I know we’re a knee-jerk country. We speak when it hurts, not when it matters. If we don’t take serious and decisive action following our words, our verbal utterances, things are going to become worse,” stated Newman.
He said Jamaica needs to act now to save lives.
“We’re wasting time chatting away and people’s bloods are being spilled on our streets. The most important thing is personal responsibility of our driving habits on our nation’s street.”
