KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Transport Authority today categorised as “misleading” assertions by Opposition Spokesman on Transport Mikael Phillips that the Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) is being forced out of operation by indiscipline and lack of enforcement of the sub-franchisee route system.

The Authority said that Phillips’ comments, made during his sectoral debate presentation in the House of Representatives, show that the spokesman is “misinformed on the subject matter”.

A Transport Authority release this afternoon said it had “reacted with alarm and dismay” at Phillips’ claims that more than 6,000 new licenses were issued between June 2016 and January 2017 to operate public passenger vehicles within the transport network.

The release said that, in fact, only 2,700 new road licences were issued island-wide during the period. It said that the majority of the new road licences have absolutely no connection with the JUTC’s operations in the Kingston Metropolitan Transport Region (KMTR).

JUTC Managing Director, Paul Abrahams, commenting on Phillips’ concern that the new arrangements were forcing the company out of business, reportedly said: “The assertion is completely without foundation, as the JUTC will not be adversely affected”.

Phillips further asserted that the decision by the minister to allow [mini-buses] to terminate in the KMTR will “no doubt add to the chaos and indiscipline now being experienced throughout the sector and will further impact the revenue of the JUTC”.

However, the Transport Authority responded that, for the decision to permit [rural mini-buses] to terminate in the KMTR is a focus on minimizing congestion in Spanish Town and its environs, reducing the cost of travel, travel time and hassle for rural commuters travelling into the KMTR.