Government Addressing Societal Chaos and Disorder Through Law Enforcement
This Administration is trying to break the culture of informality and reestablish the rule of law and public order in our country. This Government is the Government for all people, those who are misinformed, those who are vested in chaos and disorder, and those who want to see a Jamaica that is orderly, law abiding, and peaceful. That is what this Government is about.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness says the implementation of the New Road Traffic Act is one example of the Government taking corrective steps to address a longstanding system of informality in our society which encourages disorder. He says a formal system is a transparent system in which every Jamaican has a fair chance of thriving.
The Prime Minister says because of a lack of enforcement of laws, disorder flourishes and is evident in several areas of national life including how we navigate our roads and public spaces, how we access public services and even how we settle land disputes. The Prime Minister says on the road especially, there is chaos and disorder with taxis sometimes having no designated parking spaces, frequent traffic violations and the issue of street vending.
He says effective law enforcement will reestablish public order and safety, allowing everyone to enjoy a more harmonious and less chaotic society which increases efficiency. He noted that change does not happen overnight and that society needs time to adjust to some changes.
He says, “I don’t want to be seen as the Prime Minister who is trying to stop people from surviving, and there are those who would try to craft that narrative, pitting law and order against survival; suggesting that if we enforce the law, if we create order then people won’t survive. That is simply not true.”
Continuing, he says,
“This Administration is trying to break the culture of informality and reestablish the rule of law and public order in our country. This Government is the Government for all people, those who are misinformed, those who are vested in chaos and disorder and those who want to see a Jamaica that is orderly, law-abiding and peaceful. That is what this Government is about.”
Citing some of the issues raised with the enforcement of the new Road Traffic Act, the Prime Minister indicated that there are some areas where changes will be made specifically where child restraints are concerned. He said, “we understand that it is not practical”. In the meantime, the Prime Minister encouraged all parents and users of public transportation to look about their safety and wear a seatbelt at all times.
The Prime Minister said the country is entering a new dispensation of the enforcement of its laws and encourages persons not to get caught up in the negative narratives.
“Your country is changing right before your eyes but when you are in the midst of change, it can appear confusing, chaotic and often imperceptible, but when the history is written and you look back at this era and you ask yourself, when did things change for traffic management and public order in Jamaica – the historians will have to point to this period in Jamaica’s history,” said Prime Minister Holness.