GREEN ISLAND, Hanover — The Ministry of Education is looking at additional road safety measures in the vicinity of some schools in St James, Hanover, and Westmoreland — the parishes that comprise the ministry’s Region 4.

Acting senior education officer in the region, Dr Patricia Mumby Lalor last Friday noted that some schools in the three parishes require more safety mechanisms for students who use busy roads.

“Not necessarily traffic lights but safety signs, overhead bridges, and rumble strips are definitely needed,” Mumby Lalor told the Jamaica Observer following the commissioning of two traffic lights on the main road leading to the entrance of Green Island High School in Hanover.

She argued that an overhead bridge would be ideal for Herbert Morrison Technical High School, which is located on Howard Cooke Highway in the heart of Montego Bay, St James, “Because it is very dangerous for them to cross the road and this is a very busy thoroughfare on the highway.”

Additionally, Mumby Lalor pointed out that the road in the vicinity of Irwin High School, also in Montego Bay, needs some form of attention.

She said that an assessment of the roads will first be needed, and underscored that partnerships are always encouraged to make sure needs become reality.

“We will always encourage partnerships with non-governmental agencies — with NWA [National Works Agency] and donors,” said Mumby Lalor.

The school has more than 1,600 students on roll and the issue of a traffic signal to reduce congestion and increase safety in the vicinity has long been a concern.

The second traffic signal was commissioned near the entrance to Princess Hotels and Resorts — the largest hotel to be constructed in Jamaica in recent times, with more than 1,000 rooms. The cost of the civil works is valued at approximately $26 million and was sponsored by the hotel.

Mumby Lalor, who is also the education officer with responsibility for Green Island High School, said the traffic light at the institution’s entrance is a great initiative that should help to prevent incidents, and students will feel safer crossing the road.

“And so we appreciate the partnership with Princess Hotels, the school and the NWA. We know that it will go a long way,” declared Mumby Lalor.

In the meantime, Green Island High School Vice-Principal Michael McIntosh was not only elated about the traffic lights but also the efforts being put in to inform students how to use them.

“We are very much grateful to see what was promised now become a reality and so today marks that sort of gratefulness to see the light being commissioned with our students’ safety being a priority. It was always a priority but the light coming on now,it means that they have it as an added layer to their safety and security coming and leaving school,” said McIntosh as he thanked Princess Hotels and the NWA for the lights.

He argued that the two lights in the area could act to limit the speed of motorists.

Meanwhile, NWA’s Communication and Customer Services Manager Stephen Shaw appealed to motorists using the road to take additional safety measures now that traffic signals have been installed.

“We do not expect persons to run the red lights, because if they do there is a strong possibility that a child — or two, or three — could be killed in the circumstances because we have a system in place that is supposed to allow for easier movement of pedestrians, most of whom are children,” stated Shaw.

“I want to appeal, especially to the operators of motorcycles: This space is heavily trafficked by those motorcycles and we see that a lot of times they are very, very angry. It would be very unfortunate if, because of their disobedience, we should lose a life in this space,” added Shaw.

Princess officially opened the doors to two new hotels in Green Island late last year, and community relations officer for the NWA’s western region Janel Ricketts said when the hotel chain came into the area the agency knew that there would be additional traffic. This led to its push to have the lights installed.

“So, they realised they needed a traffic light [at the entrance to the hotel] but seeing that the school was so close and with the increased traffic along the corridor, they really came in and did a very good deed in terms of installing an additional traffic light [at the school],” stated Ricketts.

The project not only entails the traffic signals but also the widening of the intersections and the creation of concrete sidewalks.

General manager of Princess Hotels and Resorts Enrico Pezzoli said he is happy to see their investment project become a reality.

The project was also welcomed by the new Member of Parliament for Hanover Western Heatha Miller Bennett who expressed hope that pedestrian crossings can be put in place in other areas of the constituency, including Orange Bay.

Miller Bennett said there is also talk about installing a traffic light in Negril at a particular spot that has recorded several accidents over the years.

“It is something that we will have to discuss and look at [to determine] if it is practical to put it in at this time. And, as I said before, we will have to be proactive, so if that is an area that is prone to accidents then we will have to look at whether or not a stop light is needed in that particular area,” said Miller Bennett.

Member of Parliament for Hanover Western Heatha Miller Bennett (left) and community relations officer for the National Works Agency, Western Region, Janel Ricketts (right) looking at the new traffic signal control box at the entrance of Green Island High School in Hanover, while general manager of Princess Hotels and Resorts Enrico Pezzoli looks on.