New ticket system targets noise and vending breaches

n a major shift in how public-order breaches are handled, the Government is preparing to roll out a new ticketing system designed to crack down on offences while reducing the confrontations that have long erupted during enforcement operations.

The Ticket Information Management System being developed by the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) and the Ministry of National Security and Peace will allow authorities to issue fixed-penalty tickets for offences ranging from illegal vending to breaches of the Noise Abatement Act and other public-order violations.

Making the announcement in Parliament on Tuesday, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Security and Peace Dr Horace Chang signalled a move away from the dramatic scenes that often accompany enforcement exercises.

“It will be done in a manner that is civilised, non-contentious, and in keeping with 21st century operations. That is, a ticket will be issued, whether it’s [in relation to] vending or noise. Rather than to lock down a person’s dance and take away their equipment, they will be served with a ticket that, if they don’t pay, then there will be consequences. The ticket may be issued by the municipal corporation rather than having highly trained police officers drive around to contest with individuals,” he explained.

Chang said one of the troubling sights he has witnessed is young police officers seizing a struggling vendor’s goods, only for the situation to spiral into a confrontation.

The minister noted that he has seen officers confiscate baskets of fruit from vendors trying to make an honest living, creating scenes that often leave tensions running high.

“We know it’s inappropriate for them to be vending in the wrong place … but a contest with the police is not the way to resolve it,” he maintained.

With murders and other major crimes continuing to trend downward, Chang argued that Jamaica must now turn greater attention to restoring order in public spaces while preserving respect between citizens and law-enforcement officers.

“We must ensure that the way in which the police engage citizens is professional, proportionate and respectful. We want effective enforcement while maintaining a strong relationship between the police and the public,” he said.

The national security minister stressed that a safer Jamaica must now deliver broader social and economic gains, from stronger communities to greater investor confidence and improved quality of life.

“The peace dividend must become a development dividend. Our task is to ensure that the progress we are making in security translates into greater opportunities and prosperity for the Jamaican people. There is a wider cultural change that we must pursue … we must restore a culture of peace in Jamaica.

“We want a Jamaica where violence is rejected, where the rule of law is respected, where citizens and the police see each other as partners, and where every Jamaican can live with greater security and dignity,” he said.

Even as the Government pushes for a softer-touch approach to minor public-order breaches, Chang made it clear there will be no easing up on criminals.

“We will not yield any ground to criminals in this country. We must ensure that the reduction in violence becomes a permanent feature of our national life. We must use this improved security environment to create a stronger foundation for development, a better quality of life, and greater prosperity for our people,” he underscored.