Warner: TT could be paradise, if laws strictly enforced

“Your biggest weapon is not a firearm, your biggest weapon is the ticket,” Warner said while addressing traffic wardens yesterday at their administrative and operations building, Irving Street, San Fernando.

“And if they tell you that you are Jack Warner police say, I’m proud to be that,” Warner said, evoking smiles from the traffic wardens.

He also confirmed that the traffic wardens were under the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, and formed part of the traffic management division.

“Yes, traffic management falls under my Ministry, and traffic management means the traffic in the country, it means the traffic signs you see throughout, priority bus route, highways, that’s traffic management branch,” he said. Warner observed that respect for the law seemed generally to be non-existent in the nation.

“This seems to be the most lawless country ever; nobody has any respect for the law, and I keep saying if we enforce the very laws we have now, this would be a paradise,’ he said.

“There is no enforcement, at no level, whether it is police officers, whether it is municipal, and therefore in this sea of lawlessness we have to put traffic wardens and hope for a difference,” he said.

Warner also described those business persons who encroached on the road reserve to gain additional space for their businesses as “greedy” saying something had to be done to curtail the problem.

“We have some greedy businessmen in this country, who have to be stopped, who have to be curtailed, and I say that publicly anywhere, because of greediness our mountains are being cut and land slips taking place,” he said.

“Businessmen take the road reserve, go to Enterprise in Chaguanas, they take the entire road reserve in Chaguanas, top businessmen, in Princes Town is the same thing, in San Fernando is the same thing, there is a common greed we have to check,” he said, adding, “and if, first of all by discussion, in an amicable way, we shall do that, but if it can’t be done and we have to go through the courts of law, then so be it. We cannot allow the Government road reserve to be taken, and then cause endless traffic congestion, it doesn’t make sense.”