Several passengers on the ill-fated American Airlines (AA) plane that crashed in Kingston last December have filed legal claims against the airline, AA officials confirmed yesterday. A total of 92 of the 154 people on board AA flight 331 on December 22 were injured when the aircraft overshot the runway in driving night rain, busted through a perimeter fence, crossed the Port Royal road and ended up on the beach across from the Norman Manley International Airport.

The aircraft broke into three, but there were no reported fatalities. Tim Wagner, the airline's senior public relations manager, told the Observer that several passengers on the ill-fated aircraft had filed legal action against the airline resulting from the crash. He said he could not give details as it was not airline policy to comment publicly on legal matters against it.

Efforts by the Observer to get comments from the Chicago-based law firm, Ribbeck Law Chartered, which is said to be representing victims of the crash, were unsuccessful as the firm did not return messages left on its voicemail. Claims for damages against the airline could run into million of dollars, legal sources said.

Meanwhile, the probe into the cause of the accident is still underway. Both AA's Wagner and Keith Holloway of the National Transport Safety Board (NTSB) confirmed they were continu...

Users of the Portmore Leg of Highway 2000 will have to bear the headache of narrow lanes and occasional congestion for a few more months as repair work is expected to extend into the New Year. Transport and Works Minister Mike Henry told the Post Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House on Wednesday that work is expected to continue into January and February of next year.

Mr. Henry said suggestions were made to have the workmen work at nights, but the operators of the toll, Bouyges Road Construction Company had security concerns. Meanwhile, Mr. Henry said he is also concerned about the road being repaired less than five years after it was built.

“If you drive along the Toll Road and you get to near the Old Harbour exits by the Fersan factory, I am concerned about the bumps that you see there and that may be again because of how you have compacted the road but nothing as major as the ones being done here because you are really driving on reclaimed land,”

“I am not expecting any real major ones though we are looking more indepth at that but remember that all of that repair is at the cost of the builder and not at the taxpayer, that doesn’t mean I should not have the concern,” Mr. Henry said. 

In the meantime, work on the Mount Rosser Leg of the Highway has again hit a snag. Mr. Henr...

One Local transport operator who has accumulated at least two tickets per day within a two-year period has not been paying the fines. Transport Minister Mike Henry told Parliament yesterday the driver has accumulated more than 1,500 tickets, which put him atop a list of traffic offenders to have been booked by the police.

According to Henry, outstanding to date, 11 drivers have accumulated 301-500 tickets; 55 persons slapped with 201-300 tickets; and 393 motorists have chalked up 101-200 tickets. "This shows that the whole aspect of the point system, the whole aspect of traffic regulation, is not working," Henry said.

The outstanding fines for traffic violation value more than $3 billion. "The analysis of the traffic citation data clearly demonstrates the urgent need to fix the current problems that are preventing the Government from collecting outstanding revenues and to improve road safety," Henry said.

A total of 225,843 traffic tickets were issued last year. Superintendent Radcliffe Lewis, head of the Traffic Division, says the police will be resolute in bringing offenders to book.

"We will be going all out to apprehend these men who have many outstanding tickets," Lewis told The Gleaner last night.

Thanks to the Jamaica Gleaner

While traffic fatalities are way down over the same period last year authorities are nonetheless voicing concerns about the number of private motor vehicle drivers and passengers being killed. "We need to send a strong message to drivers who don't care...too many private motor vehicle drivers and passengers are dying," commented Kenute Hare, director of the Road Safety Unit (RSU) in the transport ministry.

Both categories total 50 deaths since the start of the year with 25 fatalities each, and according to the RSU, the below 300 target could be attained this year if more attention was paid to safety devices. "To this end we are imploring passengers not to travel in motor cars that are not equipped with seatbelts," said Hare.

He added that 572 private motor vehicle passengers were killed in crashes between 2001 and 2009 and a "high percentage of these persons were not wearing seatbelts". The RSU projects road fatalities to end up slightly over 300 this year.

Last year 341 people were killed in traffic crashes. In the meantime, traffic fatalities to July 15 stands at 149, compared to 200 over the same period last year.

Thanks to the Jamaica Observer

Stewart Motors, last Friday, rolled out its line up of 2011 BMW models featuring the innovative and exciting 7 Series activehybrid 750li. Also unveiled were the 2011 versions of 535i sports and its sister the BMW 5 Gran Turismo (GT). Both vehicles have the same drivetrain, but the GT, being a crossover changes the shape of things offering SUV-type options. Look at forking out at least $10.6 million to drive away with one of these 5 Series beauties.

The 7 Series hybrid however is another story. For those who are smitten, consider paying $16.3 million to own one. The 7 Series hybrid, new to the Jamaican market, is currently offered in left-hand drive only. Any notion of a 'weak electric engine' is thrown out the window in this full-size, luxury high-performance hybrid. (A hybrid is powered by a combination of electric and regular gasoline engine.)

"Its power is unbelievable," says a enthusiast after driving the 750li hybrid on show. Stewart Motors adds that the emissions-conscious 7 Series activehybrid also has the idle shutdown feature where the engine stops running if the car is not in motion.

Thanks to the Jamaica Observer