Old Harbour taxi drivers protest, as police strengthen public order strategy

The issues affect primarily three taxi sub-groups namely New Harbour Village I and III, Old Harbour Bay and New Harbour Village II that ply the South Street route.

Their displeasure comes in the wake of an ultimatum issued by the Old Harbour police chief DSP Mark Harris after meeting with them three weeks ago.

That ultimatum comes into force today which declares that all operators assigned to the aforementioned route must use the East Street transportation hub or face serious penalties in accordance with the Road Traffic Act.

But the operators are pushing back, saying the facility is far from ideal, pointing to limited space and poor surface which create a dust nuisance.

Jozie Ridge is one of the taxi drivers affected. He confirmed that a caucus was indeed held with the police and that their concerns that led to this morning’s protest were raised.

“We have said to the superintendent that the park is in a bad condition,” he told Harbour News.

“There are many potholes in the park,” he added. “There is one lane and we are expecting to use the one lane. There are three different routes basically. You have a set of taxis: New Harbour one and three; another one for New Harbour two; and also another set for Old Harbour Bay. Now if its only one lane we cannot operate effectively because we are blocked in by some curb walls.”

It’s a valid point raised by Ridge, who further explained the difficulty of all three groups of taxi drivers being confined to a single layby.

“Say for instance five vehicles are in the lane going to New Harbour I and III or New Harbour II, then the persons who are at the back and going to Old Harbour Bay, there is no way they can exit the park because they are blocked in by a curb wall,” he explained.

Naturally the demonstration affected the motoring public but normality returned within three hours, with some members from the disgruntled group complying with the order. Others withdrew their service.

The meeting with the police also included representatives from the St Catherine Municipal Corporation, managers of all transportation parks across the parish.

According to Ridge the municipal authority advised at the meeting that the exit lane will be made available for them to use which in effect is adding an extra lane.

However, the suggestion isn’t practical, he said and will likely create a new conundrum for all users of the facility from the perspective of established safety and emergency management protocols.

Said Ridge: “What they are telling us to do is to also use the exit lane but we’re saying if there is an emergency no one can exit the park because that is the exit lane. So therefore we need at least three lanes.”

“Wi cyan hold in a di park,” said a female operator, who gave her name only as Marcia, who is also calling for a separate sanitary facility from that at the market, despite both on the same parcel of land. Marcia’s proposition is unlikely to hold any sway with the authorities, but she is adamant that the space is inadequate.

“Di lane dem a gi wi, we can’t hold. Too much car. Dem a patrol roun de so (South Street) and a put red plate cars on wrecker and wi pay fi wi road license. A no white plate car wi a drive,” she said, while calling for “a betta place gi wi”.

The decision behind the enforcement forms part of a broader long term strategy to strengthen public order throughout the town of Old Harbour, said DSP Mark Harris.

Regarded as the fastest developing town in Jamaica, Old Harbour has become a major headache for the police due to its limited space being vastly outpaced by its rapid population density. Borne out of this is the major traffic crisis that DSP Harris and his men are trying desperately to reduce its impact.

Late last year the East Street bus/taxi park was relocated to the market area, but the grounds is yet to be resurfaced despite the municipal authority claiming it to be a high priority. For users, the current situation is dust plague during dry and windy conditions and numerous muddy puddles whenever it rains.

Lloyd Cyrus, assistant market manager at the St Catherine Municipal Corporation, said the decision was made to resurface the park over the weekend just ended but was unable to provide details on why the works were not carried out. Cyrus also added that the concerns raised by the protesting taxi drivers will be assessed by a municipal committee and a final decision taken. 

Ridge said the drivers are calling for the total removal of the curb wall or that it is remodeled similar to what is known as a ‘sleeping police’ to negate the issue of drivers being locked in a queue.

The stance taken by the police is a hardline drawn with opinions split on the issue. Since the arrival of DSP Harris public order has improved with sidewalks for the most part kept clear of vending and illegal parking. Travel time into the town has reduced in some instances on particular weekdays as well. But as the town continues to expand the issues will become more challenging for law enforcers given the absence of a spatial plan to steer its development.