PROSPECT, Westmoreland- Minister of Science, Energy, Telecommunication and Transport Daryl Vaz has admitted past efforts by the Transport Authority to have public passenger vehicles (PPV) equipped with tracking devices as part of the licensing process had failed, but with claims of several operators being killed by gunmen, the measure is now being looked at again.

“So that, for whatever reason, did not come to fruition and it is something that we are looking at again and having discussions at the steering committee [level],” stated the minister.

At this stage of the process, he emphasised, he is unable to provide a timeframe for a decision to be given.

In 2019, the Government announced the requirement for all new PPV applicants to have their units fitted with tracking devices, but this was staunchly opposed by taxi operators.

In 2020, President of the Jamaica Association of Transport Owners and Operators (JATOO) Louis Barton stated that legal action was being explored to overturn the measure.

However, with fresh concerns by cabbies about the number of their colleagues being killed, the safety of operators is an issue again.

On Wednesday, four groups issued a joint press release claiming that up to September 27 about 77 taxi operators had been murdered. The groups were Transport Operators Development Sustainable Services (TODSS), the Jamaica Association of Transport Owners and Operators (JATOO), the All Voice Transportation Group (AVTG), and the One Voice Transportation Group (OVTG). However, during a discussion on Nationwide News Network Thursday evening, Deputy Commissioner of Police Fitz Bailey said the police were only able to confirm seven cabbie killings. He said a number of others are being investigated to ascertain if they should be similarly categorised.

Minister Vaz said Bailey had provided him with the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s data.

“It is something that we are investigating, but I have to go by the official data. And unless TODSS can show me otherwise, where the figures that I am getting are not correct, then I have to stick with the police data,” stated Vaz.

When asked, the minister agreed that seven slayings of taxi operators is way too many, “but the fact of the matter is that we live in a very dangerous society and, of course, what we need to do is to use technology to assist in safety all around, which includes taxis, that we can use technological devices to make them more secure and, of course, to make the police have access to better information to investigate cases”, stated Vaz.