In light of Thursday's attack on two of the newly acquired Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) buses, Transport and Works Minister, Mike Henry, has issued a release condemning the acts.

In Thursday's attacks, a fire believed to be the work of arsonists, caused an estimated $350,000 in damage to a new bus in the Half-Way Tree Transport Centre. The blaze started just after mid-day. Some hours later, a similar unit was stoned in Duhaney Park, St Andrew, again resulting in significant damage. Both buses plied the Duhaney Park route.

strong and decisive

The minister said strong and decisive security and regulatory measures would be employed to curb what has been emerging as a trend towards destabilising the public bus service. These measures include a clampdown by the Transport Authority, supported by the police and other law enforcement agencies, on illegalities within the sector, including the playing of lewd music and DVDs in buses and taxis, and the tinting on PPV vehicles.

"I have been issuing good advice to those transport operators who are intent on being decent and orderly service providers, to begin to separate themselves from the mischief makers," said Minister Henry. "For the others, we have something coming, as we are not going to sit idly by and allow the public transportation system, be it the JUTC or any other component, to be simply destroyed by thugs and others whose only interest is to gain at the expense of the public good."