Beautiful Virgin Islands

Sunday, Oct 06, 2024

‘Once you start living here & have more time… you notice more’- Ex CoP Matthews

‘Once you start living here & have more time… you notice more’- Ex CoP Matthews

Ex-Commissioner of Police Michael B. Matthews has said now that he is no longer the Commissioner of Police and just a regular civilian in the Virgin Islands (VI) he is noticing more and understanding the anger of Virgin Islanders on certain issues.

“There is absolutely no doubt about it, that once you start living here and you have more time on your hands, you notice more,” he said on the December 11, 2022, edition of Talking Points on ZBVI 780 AM with co-hosts Violet Thomas-Gaul and Damion C. Grange.

“You see things and begin to now understand why people get so angry about what at the time, may have just been something amongst a number of things that I would have been dealing with,” he added.

VI roads 'extremely dangerous' 

Turning attention to VI’s roads, traffic and local taxis, he said there remain some very unsafe practices on VI’s roads.

“There are a lot of people that do not understand, for example, the dual carriageway and the fact that you see taxis and cars stopping in the outside lane, which is the overtaking lane, and they'll stop and drop people off right in the path of oncoming traffic.” 

“I've seen taxis stopping in the middle of the roundabout and letting the public off, extremely dangerous. This is not about bashing taxi drivers you know, we've got a lot of very good taxi drivers and doing a great job for tourism and for the territory,” he said.

The ex-Police Commissioner questioned who would be liable if a passenger gets injured while exiting a vehicle at a dangerous point, “You know the driver of the vehicle should be looking for a safe place for that passenger,” he added.

Wrong vehicles for local roads- Mr Matthews 

Meanwhile, he said due to vehicles often coming from the US and the majority being left-hand drive, there are doors on the wrong side, which puts passengers in more danger.

Mr Grange suggested that vehicles transporting passengers should have the correct right-hand drive vehicle for the road and that the road is an unsafe system where the blame should not only be on the drivers.

The former top cop said vehicle drop-off points and pickup locations are also continuously being ignored, which adds to more dangers in road traffic. He also urged drivers to put on their hazard lights if they have to stop, so the traffic knows something is happening.

The Former top cop was a guest on the December 11, 2022, edition of Talking Points on ZBVI 780am with co-hosts Violet Thomas-Gaul and Damien C. Grange.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Facilitated Communication: Miracle Tool or Manipulative Method?
The Allure of Browsing Online Property Portals: A Modern Obsession
Suspected Acid Attacker in London Bailed Amid Investigation
Tragic Channel Crossing: Four Migrants Killed
Labour Cabinet Ministers' Stances on Assisted Dying
The Influence of Tory Members on Party Leadership
UK Plans Major Overhaul of Employment Rights
UK Food Industry Lobbying Delays £1.7 Billion Plastic Packaging Tax
New UK Tipping Law Sparks Confusion Among Restaurant Staff
Debate Heats Up Over Assisted Dying Legislation in the UK
New Personalized Cancer Therapies Undergo Extensive Clinical Study
UAE Energy Minister: OPEC+ Doing a 'Noble' Job in Balancing Oil Market
Call for Wealth Tax Hikes to Curb Reform UK's Rise
Labour MP Supports Chancellor's Rejection of Wealth Tax
Debate Intensifies Over VAT Introduction for UK Private Schools
Israel Plans Retaliation Against Iran Amid Rising Regional Tensions
Norwegian Police Conclude 'Spy Whale' Hvaldimir's Death Due to Infection
Dominica Sells Citizenship to Boost Climate Resilience
Greta Thunberg Detained in Brussels During Protest Against Fossil Fuel Subsidies
UK Returns Chagos Islands to Mauritius After Decades-Long Dispute
UK Reaffirms Commitment to Overseas Territories Amid Falkland Islands Dispute
France's Silent March Supports Gisèle Pelicot: A Shocking Case
Robert Jenrick's Leadership Prospects: Challenges from the Right
Declining Interest in Grammar Schools Amid VAT Concerns
Emirates Bans Pagers and Walkie-Talkies on All Flights
Malaysian Father Burns Son's Motorbike to Prevent Racing Accidents
Donald Trump Urges Israel to Hit Iran's Nuclear Facilities First
Private Schools Face Enrollment Decline Due to Impending VAT on Fees
Wetherspoon’s CEO Criticizes Smaller Beer Glass Proposal and Licensing Hour Reduction
Starmer Defends UK Chagos Islands Decision Amidst Tory Criticism
Naomi Campbell Banned from Charity Work After Fashion for Relief Mismanagement
Sky News Cancels Boris Johnson Interview Over Recording Restriction
Hurricane Kirk's Remnants to Bring Stormy Weather to UK
Toyota Postpones US Electric Vehicle Production Amid Slowing EV Sales
EU Imposes Tariffs on Chinese Electric Vehicles
Royal Navy Submarine Service Exposed for Misogyny and Bullying
UK Government Organizes New Evacuation Flight for Britons in Lebanon
EU Car Industry Faces Severe Downturn
UK to Return Chagos Islands to Mauritius After Long Dispute
EU Imposes Tariffs on Chinese Electric Vehicles
Antarctica's Rapid Transformation: From Ice to Green
Boeing Starliner's Delayed Mission Extends NASA Astronauts' ISS Stay
Spanish F-18 Fighter Jet Crash Claims Pilot's Life
US Army Tests Armed Robot Dogs in the Middle East
Israeli Family Adopts Niece After Hamas Attack
French Court Allows Public Viewing of Video Evidence in Mass Rape Trial
Elon Musk's X Faces Fines and Account Error in Brazil
Boris Johnson Claims He Found Listening Device in Bathroom After Netanyahu's Visit
Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei declared today: "If Israel retaliates, we will raze Tel Aviv and Haifa to the ground."
Scott Jennings leaves CNN panel speechless as he tears apart Tim Walz's flimsy excuse of being "too dumb to tell the truth."
×