Ministry of Transport should make insurance claims – Francis

Claims should be made to insurance companies for the replacement of Government property that is damaged in vehicular accidents.

Minister of Transport and Works, Julian Francis made this declaration on Friday, in reference to Government property that has been damaged in vehicular accidents and has not been repaired.{{more}}

“Quite honestly …we never seem to follow up from an administrative level, what happens when a vehicle knock down Government property,” Francis said.

The minister noted that while the vehicle owner gets compensated by their insurance company for the damage done, Government does not receive any compensation.

Additionally, he stated that the vehicle owner should be responsible for any damage caused to Government property.

“I want to again remind the PS (permanent secretary) and the chief engineer that we have a responsibility to get a report from the police and lodge a claim for the damage to the insurance company. If not, the person who owns the vehicle ought to be liable and ought to be taken to court for compensation to repair the Government’s property,” Francis said.

Francis also revealed at the press conference that a local church has volunteered to repair the railing at Casson Hill, which, over time was damaged during different vehicular accidents.

“I want to applaud them. I don’t want to say which church yet… it’s good to see that the churches are doing better than the insurance companies,” he said. (BK)