KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Jamaica Urban Transit Company said that it is seeking to fully comply with the Government’s directive to remove specified grades of tint from all public passenger vehicles.

Marketing and communications manager, Reginald Allen told OBSERVER ONLINE that the “JUTC is in the process of ensuring full compliance with the Government’s directive”.

Sticking to his guns, Allen refused to comment further on the matter, even when quizzed about how the State-run bus company plans to deal with factory tints, which are usually more costly to remove.

The Government, as part of its zero-tolerance approach to crime, issued a directive last week Wednesday, ordering the removal of tints from all PPVs by Monday, February 13.

Allen said his organisation is seeking to fully conform to these parameters set by the authorities and as a State-run company, the “JUTC is taking a leading role in applying ourselves to the directives of the Government”.

Meanwhile, The Jamaica Association of Transport Owners and Operators (JATOO) is mounting some opposition to the order, claiming that the edict is illegal and not an effective crime fighting method.

In a release yesterday, the transport association said law-abiding PPV operators are the ones being targeted under the new directive while illegal taxi operators, who it claims are committing the crimes, will not be affected by the move.

However, Prime Minister Andrew Holness, in making the announcement had said special steps would be taken by the authorities to deal with illegal taxis.

The Government made the move in response to increasing reports of women and children being abducted, raped and killed.