KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) – Minister of Transport and Mining, Mike Henry, says the Office of the Chief Parliamentary Counsel is still working on changes to the Road Traffic Act, and assures that the legislation will be before the Lower House in short order.

“The Chief Parliamentary Counsel department is still not finished (working) on the Bill… some 345 changes (are)… being implemented. I did say we intend to hasten that position, and I am advised that we should be getting (the Bill) not very long from now,” he said.

The minister was responding to comments from Opposition Spokesman on Transport, Mikael Phillips, during his contribution to the debate on the Road Traffic (Temporary Ticket Amnesty) Bill in the House of Representatives yesterday.

Phillips had raised concern that the legislation was still not passed, despite debate on the Bill having started more than five months ago.

The updated law will repeal and replace the existing 1938 Act, and will establish new offences as well as provide increased penalties for current wrongdoings.

Under the Road Traffic (Temporary Ticket Amnesty) Bill, which was passed, delinquent motorists have been granted an opportunity to pay fines on outstanding traffic tickets, without incurring a penalty or interest, through an amnesty scheduled to run from August 2 to October 31.

The amnesty will affect tickets issued from September 1, 2010 to July 31, 2017.