PORT MARIA, St Mary — Operators of public passenger vehicles have welcomed an announcement by Minister of Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Transport Daryl Vaz that the Port Maria transport centre will see improvements before the year ends.

“I believe he’s a man of his word, and what he said he will be doing will be done,” president of the St Mary Transport Association, Lloyd Watson, told the Jamaica Observer.

At a recent meeting with stakeholders, the minister said the facility will be renovated — inside and out — to make it more comfortable for those who use it: shop operators, commuters as well as bus and taxi operators. After that, the goal is to clamp down on vehicles operating illegally.

“Make no mistake, when the renovations are completed all the legal operators will be using the bus park while the full force of the law will be met by the illegal taxi operators. It is unfair… while they are outside picking up passengers and the legal operators are in the park,” Vaz stated.

During the recent meeting at the municipal corporation, he commended the local authority for the work it has done in maintaining the transport centre.

“I have seen at other transport centres where there are big potholes filled with water and no sanitary conveniences,” he said in comparison.

The transport minister also used the opportunity to acknowledge that work needs to be done at other transport centres in the parish.