MINISTER of Transport and Mining Mike Henry says he is looking at an amnesty for all outstanding traffic tickets emerging with implementation of a new Road Traffic Act (RTA).

“I am looking at giving an amnesty for all of those outstanding tickets, so that we can start with a clean slate and begin to really implement all the changes that are necessary, ” Henry told the meeting of the House of Representatives recently, as he opened the debate on the new version of the long-anticipated bill.

“But that’s my position,” he added, acknowledging that it would be a decision to be taken by the minister of national security.

In 2013, the previous Government netted some $340 million from a six-month-long traffic ticket amnesty.

Former Minister of National Security Peter Bunting said then that more than 60 per cent of the amount was earned on the last day of the amnesty.

The pardon, which came into effect on July 1, 2012, freed motorists from additional fees and penalties in unpaid tickets issued prior to September 21, 2010, once they were paid in full over the period.

The ministry said it was aware that some people still did not take advantage of the amnesty. They were required to settle their tickets in the traffic court. People to whom warrants were issued needed to report to the police before going to traffic court.

Henry also informed the House of Representatives last week that there would be a late charge of $1,000 per month for unpaid tickets under the new RTA.

He noted issues such as the presence of heavily tinted windows, driving with body parts protruding and the playing of loud music blaring away would be addressed in the regulations, which he hopes to have passed at the same time as the bill.

He said that the bill was available on the Ministry’s website, and urged the public to visit the site and read the provisions. The debate was suspended after the minister’s opening statement.

Leader of the House of Representatives, Derrick Smith said that the debate would be suspended until the next sitting of the House.

Smith said that the provisions were far-reaching, and that any member of parliament who wanted to participate in the debate would be allowed to do so.

— Balford Henry