by Carlena Knight
Despite the pandemic negatively affecting revenues for many businesses and some government agencies last year, the police force’s Traffic Department seemingly recorded one of its best years yet.
More than EC$2 million is expected to be collected via tickets issued to motorists in 2021.
This was revealed by the head of the department, Superintendent Rodney Ellis, during the recently held police end-of-year press briefing.
According to the senior officer, his department saw an increase in the number of tickets issued for various traffic offences last year, which was the highest in the past three years.
“In 2019, we issued a total of 5,688 tickets; the estimated value for that is $781,950.
“In 2020, we issued 8,117 tickets and the estimated value, once all these persons pay their tickets, will yield $1,439,450. In 2021, we saw a great increase as the number of tickets issued was 13,296. The estimated value, once these persons pay their tickets, is $2,320,810,” Ellis disclosed.
There was also an increase in the revenue earned for ticket warrants last year, according to Ellis, with $138,945 being made, while for 2020 that total was $101,000.
Where matters in the magistrates’ courts were concerned, there was a dip in that figure for 2021.
“In 2020, we generated $336,000 for matters that were before the court, and in 2021 we are seeing a decrease here with a total of $207,625. This can be because there was not much trials during 2021 because of the closure of the court at certain periods,” Ellis explained.
There was also a dip in monies earned for lost number plates and “other” revenues.
The latter includes things like insurance reports – for example in the case of a collision, where a report is required by the insurance provider, and authorisation for heavy-duty equipment being used mainly in the city of St John’s.
“In 2020, we have seen a total of $56,050, and this was due to that flood we had in November where a lot of persons lost their number plates. In 2021, there was a drastic reduction there of $29,600.
“While for other revenues, in 2020, we had a total of $109,180, and there was a reduction in 2021 in which we had $89,060,” Ellis added.