The disclosure was made by Minister of Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Transport, Daryl Vaz, at the TA's transport conference at the University of the West Indies (UWI) regional headquarters conference and meeting centre in St Andrew on Thursday.

"I invited former (Police) Commissioner Owen Ellington here because it is my intention to take to Cabinet, in short order, a recommendation for Owen Ellington to become the new Chairman of the Transport Authority," said Vaz.

If accepted, Ellington will replace outgoing board chairman, Joseph Shoucair.

Vaz lauded Shoucair and the other members of the outgoing TA board for their service.

"As you know, when a new minister comes, it is automatic that the boards fall away," he said, referencing his appointment late last month to succeed Audley Shaw as the new overseer of the transport portfolio that has been combined with science, energy and telecommunications to form a new ministry.

Ellington, the 27th police commissioner of Jamaica, served in that capacity from April 5, 2010 to July 1, 2014.

Ellington enlisted in the JCF on August 1, 1980 and was appointed Assistant Commissioner on April 5, 2006.

He was appointed to act as a Deputy Commissioner on August 11, 2008, and then as Acting Police Commissioner on November 7, 2009, before succeeding Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin as police commissioner.

Ellington's retirement as police commissioner in July 2014 came as a surprise to many, because he had been presiding over a noticeable decline in major crimes nationally at the time.

Then National Security Minister, Peter Bunting, said Ellington had indicated that his decision to retire was based on the need to separate himself from the leadership and management of the constabulary.

That was prior to the start of the then upcoming Commission of Enquiry into the conduct of the security forces in Western Kingston and other areas during the limited state of emergency (SOE) in May 2010.