Nearly 44,000 Outstanding Traffic Tickets Targeted in Two-Day National Arena Court Session

The Court Administration Division launched a two-day traffic ticket initiative at the National Arena in St. Andrew on Wednesday, aiming to resolve close to 44,000 outstanding tickets for motorists in Kingston and St. Andrew. Officials say the scale of warrant cases underscores the need for more coordinated traffic ticket management across the island.

Roughly 6,000 drivers registered for the exercise. The division reported 43,950 outstanding traffic tickets on file. Communications director Kadisha Jarrett Fletcher said most of the registered motorists have warrants, with about 4,000 persons in that category.

Fletcher noted that while warrants in the corporate area are issued electronically, addresses listed on drivers' licences often do not match where motorists actually live, making it difficult for police to follow up. When asked how officers respond after stopping motorists with unresolved records of serious traffic infractions, police said their process department conducts deeper checks before determining the next steps.

Staff from the Ministry of National Security's Traffic Ticket Information Management System teams and the Tax Administration Jamaica were on site to verify complaints from motorists who say they had already settled tickets. Fletcher said most disputed cases predate 2023, before TIMS came online. She said staff can locate files and update records if motorists provide the date they attended court and whether it was day or night court. Tax office personnel were also present to verify payments made at the tax office that still appear on the system.

Fifteen makeshift courtrooms were set up inside the arena. Motorists were assigned specific appearance times, and beyond warrant status, the number of tickets on a driver's record influences how quickly each matter is cleared.

Outside the venue, Maurice Taylor left relieved after paying his outstanding tickets, describing the handling as lenient compared with others he had observed. Rosalyn Brown-Miller also settled her matter and said the process moved smoothly, though she paid more than the original ticket amount. "The process wasn't that bad. It was, you know, a smooth sailing, but paid a little bit more than what the ticket was."

More motorists waited outside as the session continued. The division said walk-ins were not permitted and cameras were not allowed inside. Officials recorded details from delinquent motorists who pleaded to be admitted and said they would be facilitated at night court on a later date.