Buchanan

The Government will be acquiring 20-intoxilyser machines to restore the Jamaica Constabulary Force's (JCF) breathalyser programme, according to Information Minister Donald Buchanan.

Mr. Buchanan disclosed yesterday that Cabinet had approved a contract valued at US$229,609 (J$15.7 million) to CMI Inc. of Kentucky in the United States to supply the breathalyser instruments and 200 SD-2 screening devices.

"(This) will enhance the ability to enforce critical elements of the Road Traffic Act and road safety," said Mr. Buchanan.

He was speaking at the weekly post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House.

The JCF's breathalyser programme had lost its breath when the machines that were initially acquired at the inception of the programme exceeded their shelf life.

Of the 200 instruments, only 20 are currently functional, according to Cabinet notes. Majority of the non-functional instruments have been at the Bureau of Standards Jamaica for a considerable period of time, and the agency has not been able to restore them to proper working order.

Meanwhile, of the 15 analysis centres across the island, 11 are without breath analysis instruments.