WESTMORELAND, Jamaica – Despite two of their schoolmates losing their lives as a result of a fiery motorcycle crash last November, two students of Petersfield High in Westmoreland were seen gallivanting on bikes as a People’s National Party motorcade passed their institution on Tuesday.

One of the students could be seen in a fitted red protective helmet while his colleague appeared without a headgear, as other students looked on in amusement.

On the morning of Tuesday, November 21, 16-year-old Ajani Robinson and 14-year-old Zackeal McIntyre, both of Darliston in Westmoreland, were heading to school on a motorcycle on the Petersfield main road when they lost control of the bike and collided with a motorcar, which then caught fire. The police were summoned and the boys were transported to the hospital where they were pronounced dead.

In response to the incident, the acting principal of the institution at the time, Vinton Vaz warned students to desist from driving motorcycles.

However, those warnings seem to have fallen on deaf ears.

To apply for a motorcycle license in Jamaica, an individual must be at least 17 years old and hold a valid learner’s permit for at least three months.

Kimberley Peddie