KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister of Transport and Mining, Lester “Mike” Henry this evening cautioned taxi operators in St James to be careful of whom they transport during the state of public emergency that was declared for the parish earlier today.

According to a release from the ministry, “taxi operators are most threatened because they are the most used in connections”.

The minister further urged the commuting public to only take “red plate” public transport as they traverse the parish, emphasising that taxi associations know the rules and regulations clearly and more scrutiny will be placed where breaches have been overlooked before.

He also asked the public to give their full cooperation to the security forces in the interest of reducing crime, adding that this should be done while human rights must always be kept in mind.

Henry, in his release this evening, said he has met with the Transport Authority, the Island Traffic Authority and Jamaica Urban Transit Company (Montego Bay Metro) to ensure that smooth and safe transport operations are maintained in the parish.

He informed that the Island Traffic Authority will be meeting to ensure their continuous function and the JUTC coordinating with the Montego Bay Metro to make sure their drivers exercise extreme caution while transporting passengers, he added.