TRELAWNY, Jamaica— The police have identified the man who perished in a fiery crash on a section of the Hague main road in Trelawny on Monday, July 24, 2023.
He was Rodney Mccrae, age 74, a late resident of Mansfield, in Ocho Rios, St Ann.
According to the Falmouth police, at about 4:00 pm, on Monday, July 24, 2023, McCrae was driving his Honda CRV motor car toward St Ann when he allegedly overtook a line of traffic and collided with an oncoming international tractor-trailer.
The Honda CRV reportedly burst into flames on impact.
The fire department arrived on the scene and performed cooling-down operations. The firefighters later retrieved McCrea’s charred remains from the vehicle. His body burnt beyond recognition. The driver of the tractor escaped with minor injuries.
Nickiesha Waugh, who knew McCrae from church, described him as loving:
“Brother McCrae was a charming person, a people person. He was giving. He loved children, he loved family, always a smile, lovely man a tell you I’ve never seen anybody like in any contention with him, he will be missed,” she lamented.
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Monday’s fatal accident brings the total to 224 people killed in crashes since the start of the year.
The National Road Safety Council called on citizens to be vigilant on the roads.
Vice Chairman of the Council, Dr. Lucien Jones, urged motorists to obey the road codes.
“I think it is useful to remind all Jamaicans to wear seatbelts front and back when you are driving. Do not drink alcohol and drive. Do not smoke marijuana, and drive. Put on your helmets, both the driver of the motorcycle and the pillion rider, and make sure you wear light colored clothing at nights if you are a pedestrian,” he said.
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Parliament passed Bill to extend the tenure of DPP amid controversy.
A Bill extending the tenure of the Director of Public Prosecutions passed in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, July 25, 2023, despite strong objections from the weak Parliamentary Opposition.
The Bill required Constitution Amendments: (Amendment Of Sections 96(1) and 121(1)) Act, 2023, tabled by Justice Minister Delroy Chuck, seeks to extend the retirement age of both the Auditor General and the Director of Public Prosecutions from 60 to 65 years.
According to the Minister, the move was essential to bring the ceiling for the age of retirement for the Auditor General and the Director of Public Prosecutions in line with the upper limit for a public officer in the civil service.
“Madam Speaker, the proposed amendment to the Constitution thereby addressed the inconsistency between the two pieces of legislation and, by extension, creating a more level playing field for all. These amendments raise the age of retirement to 65 years and allow the Governor General in appropriate cases to permit an extension up to 70 years,” said the Justice Minister.
Delroy Chuck
But Opposition Leader Mark Golding objected to the Bill–contending that the Government’s seeking to extend the DPP’s tenure reflects terrible governance.
Mr. Golding said the Government should have consulted with the opposition. He stated that the opposition intends to challenge the decision in court.
“To seek to amend the Constitution of Jamaica by bringing a bill, tabling it on the same day that they intend to debate it and pass it in the House, is disrespectful to the opposition. It is disrespectful to the Constitution Reform Committee, and it is a dark day for our country,” he contended.
“It is one thing to amend the Constitution to deal with future officeholders, but you are dealing with incumbent officeholders and extending their tenure in office. And we object to the procedure that is being followed. And as I’ve said, we will be taking legal advice on it to see whether or not we can challenge it in court based on the procedure being followed and the overall surrounding circumstances that have led the Government to proceed in this way,” said Mr. Golding.
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