A minibus operator who has appeared before Senior Magistrate Rickie Burnett so often that the magistrate remembers his name admitted that his frequent traffic violations are eating into his income.
The van driver’s admission came after the magistrate asked him if he ever considers the amount of money he pays in traffic tickets.
The driver was, on Wednesday, fined EC$250 on each of two traffic violations relating to failure to comply with road signs, one of which involved an illegal left turn in Kingstown.
Asked how much he has paid in traffic fines since Burnett became Senior Magistrate in January, the driver said he could not recall.
“You all sit down and consider the amount of money you all normally pay for traffic fines? Are you making or are you losing?” the magistrate further asked the driver, who said that he was losing.
“You are responsible for that,” the magistrate said.
“Not only are you breaking the traffic laws, but you are refusing to pay $80 [for the ticket].
“You have to make that call, but today, you have to pay $250 times two. You all have to treat this minibus business as a business,” the magistrate said and gave the man until Nov. 30 to pay the fine or go to jail for one month on each of the charges.