JUTC and the Downtown Municipal Transport Centre - Planes, Trains & Automobiles

O that there might in England be

A duty on Hypocrisy

A tax on humbug, an excise

On solemn plausibilities.

Henry Luttrell, An Aspiration

The surprise launch of the much touted and supposedly more efficient Downtown Municipal Transport Centre on Saturday January 15^th 2011 was a crush of chaos as stated in the article ‘Confusion at new transport hub”, published Tuesday, January 18, 2011 BY KIMMO MATTHEWS Observer staff reporter, The Jamaica Observer. 

This after JATOO (Jamaica Association of Transport Owners and Operators) who were originally up in arms to its introduction as stated in my blog article entitled “JATOO and the Transportation Revolution in Jamaica - Babylon by Bus” were supportive as stated in the article “Bus operators welcome new transport center”, published Monday, January 17, 2011 by KIMMO MATTHEWS, Observer staff reporter, The Jamaica Observer. 

Possibly after the Jamaican Constabulary Force aka the Jamaican Police made it clear that the good Senator Mike Henry, Minister of Transport and Works, made the “common sense” connection between the burning of a JUTC (Jamaica Urban Transport Corporation) bus and the utterances of possible protest action emanating from JATOO rank and file.

Also playing a part in JATOO’s change of tune may have been the fact that reviving Passenger Railways as stated in the article “JRC close to resuming the Passenger Rail Service”, published January 4, 2011, 11:54 am, The RJR Communication Group as well as plans for the Vernamfield Aerodrome an Air Academy are in the works as per the article “Henry to make Cabinet submission on Vernamfield in Clarendon”, published Tuesday, January 04, 2011, Go-Jamaica. Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987) indeed!

This is notwithstanding the prior arrangement with the People’s Republic of China as stated in the article “CHINESE WANT KINGSTON WHARVES” published Monday, March 08, 2010 by Paul Henry Observer staff reporter, The Jamaica Observer and again opined as per my blog article entitled “The People's Republic of China and the Development of Brand Jamaica” as the decision by Senator Karl Samuda, Minister of Commerce is not set in stone.

Especially as the People’s Republic of China was dragging their feet from 2010AD, wanting a bit too much for too low a price as stated in the article “Samuda looking to US, Europe for port, Caymanas investment”, published Sunday October 12 2010, The Jamaica Observer.

So EVERYONE is onboard, as Senator Mike Henry, Minister of Transport and Works visionary transformation of our Transport Sector to enable competitive Commerce should be a boon to the Private and Public Sector. Order is now appearing from the chaos of the Weekend Launch by Prime Minister, Bruce Golding, thought issues relating to shuttle bus service are yet to be ironed out.

Less “touts” is the reward for passengers, tired, looking for a comfortable ride home, bearing tickets in hand, I suppose? Easier on the Jamaican Police too, to ticket non-compliant JATOO members. Ditto for May Pen Bus and Taxi operators, now slated to occupy the parking space before the Tax Office in May Pen as per the article “May Pen taxi, bus operators protest”, published Thursday, December 30, 2010, Go-Jamaica.

Speaking of Traffic tickets, I am still awaiting the implementation of the much touted NRCS (National Road Safety Council) initiative, that being the Automated Electronic Traffic Ticketing System, January 2011 now being eighteen (18) months since it announcement. Ironically, the Jamaican Police may be resistant to this change, as it would rob them of much ….er…”sustenance” derived from Traffic Fines that line their pockets.

At the same time, Senator Dwight Nelson, Minister of Security owes Senator Audley Shaw, Minister of Finance nearly JA$350 million in uncollected Traffic fines dating from Thursday April 1^st 2010 as uttered in Parliament - and caught en camera on Prime Time News aired Thursday April 1^st 2010, Television Jamaica, a figure easily achievable via the implementation Automated Electronic Traffic Ticketing System. So its implementation is inevitable.

This would leave the lucky potential Contractor who acquires this multi-million dollar Government Contract licking their all ten (10) of their toes and all ten (10) of their fingers at the prospect of such a contract. Not to mention the benefit to the Telecoms Providers via way of making money from M2M (Machine-to-Machine Communications as per the future predicted in my blog article entitled “AT&T, NFC and M2M - Cashless Society and the Internet of Things”.