News

Traffic ticket squeeze

Elephant Man, one of the entertainers sought by the cops. - file

POPULAR DANCEHALL ENTERTAINERS, Oneil 'Elephant Man' Bryan and Miguel 'Sizzla' Collins are among 40,000 Jamaicans being sought by police for outstanding traffic tickets.

The deejays each have one ticket outstanding. However, THE STAR was unable to get details about the offences or the tickets.

But the entertainers are not the only ones being sought. Also on the list are popular footballers, Ian Goodison, who plays in England; former Arnett Gardens player Denton Shedden and former Harbour View player, Ali Rose.

Senior Superintendent Elan Powell, head of Police Traffic Division, said he could not say if there were attempts to execute the warrants on these persons. "I don't know that effort was made before to execute these warrants but we are in the process of doing so now," he said.

Traffic warrants are usually issued if the person charged with the traffic violation attends court and is bound over to return and fails or if the person is charged with a traffic violation and does not attend court at all.

However, not all artistes for whom warrants have been issued have failed to honour them. THE STAR understands that warrants were issued for Beres Hammond, Mark 'Buju Banton' Myrie and Gregory Isaacs. However, they have since paid their fines and the matter has been resolved.

SSP Powell said it is often difficult to execute warrants on some persons as some of them have false addresses on their driver's licences and later when police go to these addresses they find open lots or learn that no one lives at that address.

He added that despite the challenges the police have still managed to execute 100 warrants each week. He said they also checked motorists whom they stop to see if there are any outstanding warrants for them and where that is so they execute them.

In the meantime he is also appealing to members of the public for whom warrants have been issued to contact the Traffic headquarters. "We are asking people with outstanding warrants to contact us so that we can have the warrants sorted out," he said.