Quick service but chaotic lines at new Road Traffic Dept location

Thursday, June 6, 2024

By KEILE CAMPBELL

kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

THE Road Traffic Department’s relocation to Summerwinds Plaza on Tonique Williams Darling Highway attracted mixed reviews from people who received services at the facility yesterday and spoke to The Tribune about their experience.

Most said the service was quick and smooth, while others complained that lines were long and chaotic and that figuring out where to go was confusing.

“The previous location was terrible,” said Gemma Rigby, adding that the new location is more enjoyable, not least because seating is available while waiting in the queue.

One 40-year-old mother complained that the location lacked adequate parking, adding that people parked on the highway.

“Number one, for something this big, it should be put out to tender, and number two, there should’ve been some guideline, some document that says here’s how we go about choosing these particular places, and that’s clearly not done,” she said.

The department’s location at the national stadium became untenable after staff complained about their working conditions. The department’s headquarters was moved there before the Clarence A Bain Building was demolished in 2020. Staff complained about rodents, broken-down ceilings, and other infrastructure issues.

Former Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Cabinet minister Leslie Miller owns the Summerwinds Plaza. He told The Tribune last year that the plaza has parking space for 300 vehicles, adding: “No other place they could go has the parking.”

Yesterday, construction was ongoing at a section near the front of the property. Certain parts of the facility appeared temporarily constructed as officials continue to upgrade the site.

Bahamas Taxi Cab Union (BTCU) president Wesley Ferguson was at the facility and said the department needed a location change.

However, he said: “Road Traffic was in dire straits because every time a government –– any government, not just PLP or FNM –– any time they rent a building, it’s always a controversy. So now, the new government is in and pretty much do the same thing; you know, look out for their party supporters and in the interest of the public. Instead of the government trying to build a whole building that’ll take years, if something is available and they can help out each other, I don’t see a problem with it.”

Comments

IslandWarrior says...

Proposal for the Road Traffic Department (RTD)

The Road Traffic Department (RTD) has long been plagued by systemic issues driven primarily by petty politics and outright corruption. For over two decades, these issues have transformed the department into a personal financial supplement for a select few individuals. These individuals have connections extending to the highest levels of the Ministry of Finance, a small cadre of providers, and both current and former employees of the RTD. This corruption has fueled a lifestyle of opulence for those involved, akin to the standards of the ultra-rich. Furthermore, this corruption is highly contested and protected, making resolution difficult. For example, The Bahamas has gone without new license plates for the past three months due to infighting over which group will provide the service.

The persistent dysfunction within the RTD is a unique phenomenon; similar patterns are not observed in other jurisdictions where management and technology discourage corruption. The inefficiency and confusion that currently characterize the RTD are deliberate constructs designed to facilitate financial gain for those manipulating the system. When the department fails to function effectively, it creates opportunities for illicit income.

A more effective solution would involve overhauling the RTD's management structure. I challenge both political parties to consider privatizing the department's management. Introducing private sector management could eliminate 99.9% of the current problems, as private entities are typically more efficient, transparent, and accountable than their public sector counterparts. This approach would align the department's operations with best practices observed in other successful jurisdictions, ultimately fostering a more functional and less corrupt RTD.

Posted 6 June 2024, 2:38 p.m. Suggest removal

juju says...

No one mentioned the traffic delays from East to West daily caused by people entering and exiting the location. It is terrible. Why is that happening?