BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE Traffic Department is unrelenting in its quest to make streets of the island safer for both motorists and pedestrians and, in keeping with this thrust, it conducted an operation earlier this week that saw more than 100 vehicles being stopped, checked and a number of tickets being issued.
SGT Calvin Amory of that Department informed SKNVibes that during the early-morning hours of Tuesday (Nov. 6), two vehicle checkpoints (VCPs) were established – one at the Shadwell round-about and the other in the Conaree area.
He said during the operation - which stretched from 6:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. - 150 vehicles were stopped and checked for various traffic infractions and 13 tickets were issued as a result.
Four tickets were issued to persons who drove vehicles with defective tyres, three to persons who were not wearing their seatbelts as prescribed by law, one for failing to display the vehicle’s licence sticker and one for exceeding the speed limit.
Another ticket was issued to a motor omnibus operator for failing to display the destination board on the vehicle, one for driving without a driver’s licence and one for operating a vehicle fitted with windows that were too heavily tinted.
The SGT explained that as an additional component of the exercise, motorists were verbally issued tips on good road use practices.
Some motorists and others who would be hurrying to their places of employment have – in the past – voiced their concerned with Traffic Department’s seemingly “odd” or “off timing” in conducting their operations.
This publication has been made aware of more recent complaints from persons who question whether or not the Department could have found a less inconvenient time during which to execute their exercises.
Head of the Traffic Department Inspector Cromwell Henry explained to this publication that he is aware of the inconvenience that the exercises may cause, but noted that that is not the intention of the exercises.
“I know that it creates some inconvenience for road users and that is why we try to minimise the frequency particularly at that time. However, it is a time of day when we have greatest impact because of the higher volume of vehicles on the road.
“The intention is to create awareness among drivers so that they are constantly reminded that they ought to have the necessary documents relative to their vehicles updated. And, so, while it might be an inconvenience to some, for us it is the best opportunity to impact most drivers. So we will continue to have them at a time when we have the greatest impact.”
