Public Defender intervenes in bus preaching ban

The Public Defender Earl Witter says he’s currently seeking a legal opinion on the issue of preaching on public buses.

Earlier this week the Managing Director of the Jamaica Urban Transit Company Limited (JUTC), Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin gave a directive that seeks to end the practice of individuals using the public transport system to preach the Gospel.

Senior Superintendent of Police in charge of traffic, Radcliffe Lewis has also warned that it is an offence and persons in breach can be charged with disorderly conduct on a public-passenger vehicle.

Witter says the move by the JUTC management has raised constitutional questions.

He says he will decide whether to seek declarations in the Supreme Court when he gets legal opinion on the matter.

In the meantime, the public defender says he’s prepared to receive opinions on the matter from interested persons and organizations.

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