​By Aabigayle McIntosh

Amendments to the law is the latest measure the government will be adopting to deal with the issue of derelict vehicles across the island.

The changes will be made to the Public Health Act and the Cabinet of Antigua and Barbuda has already given directives to the Ministry of Legal Affairs to draft the pending changes.

This will allow for the speedy removal of derelict vehicles from the nation’s public roads.

Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff Lionel Hurst told Reporters on Thursday that this approach will be taken to reduce the health and safety risks associated with the vehicles.

​He also pointed out that, “When they put the X on, there is a period of, I think, three days or something in which an owner has the opportunity to remove the vehicle if they still wish to have it. Well, they remove it, all right, put it into their yards. But as soon as the three-day period is over and the tow trucks are no longer operating, they bring them back out to create the same problem that we tried fixing.”

He said the law has to change to remove the need for prior notice as this would allow towing companies to remove the eyesores on the same day.

In some instances, abandoned vehicles are also a problem for businesses.

Hurst also elaborated on the issue of abandoned vehicles at the entrance of Victory Drive from the direction of Old Road.