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  by pltm
• Apr 20, 2021
• 19

(PLTM) - Minister for Transportation, Works and Utilities, Hon. Kye Rymer has threatened to impose a curfew on scooters again, following the rise in crime in the territory, believed to be linked to the two-wheelers vehicles.

His remarks were made on the backdrop of the recent fatal shooting of Mrs. Catherine Pickering, 54, of Paraquita Bay, who succumbed after being shot during a robbery.

“A lot of the crimes are linked to some sort of transportation, and under my portfolio, I have been speaking out about our enforcement,” the Minister said earlier today during the House of Assembly.

According to the Minister, during the last Standing Finance Committee, it was revealed that in the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF)’s traffic unit, there were only a few officers manning that department.

“That is something that I have spoken about, and I think it needs to be revamped. Because in the absence of CCTV cameras, I think police patrols are necessary. We see more and more where vehicles have no regard for the law, there is a restriction on tint, and Mr. Speaker, we see a number of vehicles where you cannot even see in the vehicles. I know at some point the police would be out there stopping and doing their checks, making sure that the front glass would be 35 per cent and the rear glasses would be 20 per cent. We have motorcycles traversing the roadway, not legal, but to those who are legal, I applaud you for abiding by the law,” he remarked.

Minister Rymer then called on the new Police Commissioner Mike Collins and Governor John Rankin to look at the traffic issues seriously.

“I remembered last year when this government put a restriction on the movement of motorcycles after certain times, and that created a stir in the community, and persons understood after that the reason why we did that. But, Mr Speaker it seems like they are asking for us to do the same thing because these vehicles, whether they are scooters, whether they are vehicles that are not legal for the roadway, we need to ensure that we have a hand on it and I hope with the support of this House, they would agree that something needs to be done in regard to those matters,” he pointed out.

The curfew occurred last June and targeted scooters and other three-wheel vehicles to be off the road between the hours of 5 pm to 5 am.