Minister makes little progress on transport policy: Cayman News Service

(CNS): With about eight months until next year’s general election in the Cayman Islands and Parliament in recess, Minister Jay Ebanks revealed little about the progress his ministry has made over the past three years when he was questioned in Parliament last week on public transportation policy. Ebanks claimed the ministry had produced a comprehensive green paper for the plan but shared few details with his legislative colleagues.

In response to a parliamentary question from Opposition Leader Roy McTaggart, Ebanks said Cabinet had approved a number of short-term measures to improve public transportation, including better bus schedule information and more reliable systems. Cabinet also approved a pilot program for a new service in the Eastern District and a taxi booking app, but he did not explain how changes to Cayman’s expensive taxi regulations would help those who use public transportation.

The minister outlined very vague long-term planning proposals, saying the government would roll out three key strategic routes, buy new buses and develop the infrastructure to support them, and transition to a fare-based model.

In response to McTaggart’s question about the progress of the promised public transport plan, Ebanks said the ministry was implementing some new measures, but he did not reveal what those measures were or when residents would feel the change. He only elaborated slightly on the ticketing system, which he said would introduce electronic payments so bus and taxi drivers would not need to carry cash.

Meanwhile, in response to a question from McTaggart on the implementation of road safety measures relating to the notorious Shamrock Road section in the Spotts area, Ebanks said it was a long-standing issue. Some measures, such as improved lighting, the use of catseyes (reflective markings) and clearing the roadside to facilitate police speed traps, were already in place, while others were about to be introduced, such as speed monitors.

However, he said the government has yet to decide on reducing the speed limit on the stretch of road where many people died, something local residents have urged the government to do. Ebanks said he believed the National Highways Authority, which he controls, and the Road Safety Committee under his department were waiting for the construction of the East-West Trunk Road extension down the valley to ease the traffic load on that stretch before reducing the speed limit.

Ebanks said he knows the community wants this, but first a road connection to Agricola Avenue is needed and road work is underway in the area.

at the same time, Private Members’ Motions McKeeva Bush’s recommendation that the government address increasing dangerous and poor driving behaviour on local roads was accepted, despite Ebanks’ claims that the Road Safety Commission has already implemented various initiatives. The minister said he would sit down with Bush to discuss some of his proposals to make roads safer, which include lowering speed limits, increasing fines and digital speed cameras that can issue tickets.

Once again, the government has missed an opportunity to improve public transport, get people out of their cars and make our roads safer. In a speech last week, Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan announced plans to invest in more parking spaces in the airport car park for local residents leaving the island, rather than launching an airport bus service.