A new regulation, where a person driving a motor vehicle is required to produce a license on demand to a traffic officer, has been met with numerous criticisms.
Former Works Minister Guy Joseph has also joined the list of persons, who are not in support of this new requirement, which has been described as “ridiculous.”
Joseph has dubbed the new regulation as “unfair”, accusing the Ministry of Transport of being unable to deliver drivers licenses on time.
The former minister also claims that the licence office had ran out of material to produce the licenses, so that it takes people more than a week to get their driver’s license.
Some persons believe that every citizen should not have to suffer the consequences based on the actions of a few people that abused the 48 hours window period.
One of our readers said, “Why not refine and upgrade the current system? Give the traffic officers the technology they need to do their work efficiently, not ridiculous draconian laws to enforce.”
But another reader also said,” I have a license and I keep it together with my insurance document in the glove compartment. I have a national ID so I have no reason to take out my driver’s license from the glove compartment. We are sometimes too irresponsible. We have to learn the hard way.”
The Ministry of Transport said in a statement on Tuesday that the Motor Vehicle and Road Traffic Act (2006) gives a traffic officer the authority to request that a person driving a motor vehicle produces a driver’s license for examination.
Failure to comply could result in a fine not exceeding $ 1000.00 or imprisonment for a period not exceeding three (3) months, according to the statement.
The statement continues: “publication of Statutory Instrument (SI) 46 of May 2015, violation of section 85 in the Motor vehicles and Road Traffic Act has been made a ticketable offense.”
The fine that this offense now attracts will not exceed $250.00 as opposed to the previous $1000.00.
The ministry also reminded that failing to wear a seatbelt or improper parking are also ticketable.