THE REGULATIONS governing the Toll Authority have been approved by the House of Representatives, following yesterday's debate on the document tabled last week.
The passing of the regulations clears the way for it to go before the Senate for the 10-member panel, comprising the Toll Authority, to officially begin work next week.
During the debate, several issues regarding Highway 2000 were brought to the fore, though few dealt specifically with the 2003 Toll Authority Regulations, which make up part of the Toll Roads Act.
"The regulations that are before us today indicate to me that the Minister (of Transport, Robert Pickersgill) is rushing them through in order to get an announced start up some time next week," Pearnel Charles, Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Member of Parliament for North Central Clarendon, said.
Minister Pickersgill said last month that the operations of the Toll Authority would start on Monday, September 15. At that time, he also announced that Dunbar McFarlane, former managing director of the National Commercial Bank (NCB), had been appointed the Toll Regulator for Highway 2000.
"I have examined the present toll road under construction and I am satisfied that if it is allowed to be put into operation, serious problems await us," Mr. Charles argued yesterday. He cited the lack of appropriate street lighting as one of the major problems on the Old Harbour bypass and suggested that the road was a potential death trap.
"You can start counting the number of accidents we have had on that road already," he said.
Though indicating his unending support for the toll road, JLP MP for Central Clarendon, Mike Henry, reiterated his colleague's view on the lighting of the road. But, responding to the opposition MPs, Minister Pickersgill said the toll road would contain "cat's eyes" reflectors.
