ST JAMES, Jamaica — Councillor for the Spring Garden Division of the St James Municipal Corporation, Dwight Crawford, is laying the blame for Montego Bay’s unbearable traffic congestion squarely at the feet of the National Works Agency (NWA) and indiscipline drivers to include those who transport employees of the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) companies.

Addressing the monthly meeting of the St James Municipal Corporation’s Strategic Committee on Tuesday, January 4, Councillor Crawford said NWA has been dragging its feet in relation to synchronising the traffic lights across Montego Bay which, in his opinion, will eliminate the bottlenecks at major intersections.

“The NWA is a joke,” Crawford said, adding that “they (NWA) need to come to Montego Bay and synchronise the traffic lights which will ensure that there is smooth traffic flow in all areas. As the lights now stand, motorists at one intersection get the green light, only to join another group of motorists who are waiting on the green light at the other. This causes a bottleneck that sometimes take several minutes to be cleared”.

The councillor is also questioning why the NWA is not talking to the St James Municipal Corporation in relation to the maintenance of roads and other projects in the city.

“The NWA is operating at a level that is not in keep with the changing times. Montego Bay has grown over the years and obviously more motorists are either moving around in the city or passing through. The constant bottlenecks, which motorists have been enduring, is too much and we need to hear from the NWA. The agency representatives have been attending our regular or committee meetings very infrequently and this must be addressed immediately,” he said.

Crawford further called for a meeting between the St James Municipal Corporation and representatives of companies operating in the BPO sector to address issues relating to the indiscipline practices of drivers transporting their employees.

“Adding to the situation of the traffic lights not synchronising is the grave issue of improper usage of the thoroughfare by indiscipline drivers, including those who transport employees on behalf of companies in the BPO sector.

“We need to have a meeting with the BPO sector to address the practice of their drivers to pick up and let off passengers in Montego Bay as they feel. The practice of these BPO drivers added to indiscipline taxi drivers is causing a headache for other motorists,” he explained.

Even more, the improper use of the roadways by BPO drivers and taxi operators also pose a threat to the safety of the passengers who are sometimes let off in the middle of moving traffic,” Crawford added.

He said while there is a need for more traffic police to be on the streets of Montego Bay, especially at major intersections, he understands that there is a manpower challenge in relation to the Jamaica Constabulary Force having adequate officers.

Meanwhile, the councillor is putting members of the public on notice to brace for major traffic delays once work commences on the Montego Bay Perimeter Road and the Long Hill Bypass. He said roadways in Catherine Hall, Westgreen and the Bogue main roan will be impacted by the perimeter and bypass road construction.