Five-month inspection sticker ease up for drivers

DRIVERS now have a five-month moratorium in which to have their vehicles inspected. Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan made the announcement at yesterday’s post-Cabinet news conference at the Diplomatic Centre in St Ann’s. This means drivers have until December to ensure their vehicles are inspected. Sinanan explained that Cabinet took this decision because of “several complaints about the queues at some of the inspection areas.”

In addition, Sinanan said, “Cabinet also took a decision to allow T-vehicles with a maximum gross weight of 3,200 kg to be inspected at approved private inspection garages.” There are 70 of these garages. Sinanan said the ministry will do investigations to ensure these stations are all equipped to inspect these vehicles, which include SUVs and pick-up trucks. These vehicles do not include heavy trucks.

With 137,000 T-vehicles in the country, Sinanan indicated only the licensing offices in Port of Spain and San Fernando are able to inspect these vehicles. Even the new licensing office in Caroni cannot undertake this task, he added. “It is virtually impossible to have this quantity of vehicles inspected at two locations in Trinidad.”

Sinanan also said there have been “a lot of allegations about vehicles actually having inspection stickers but not being presented for inspection.”

The rush by people to have their vehicles inspected at private garages has caused situations where “you have queues going on to the highway.” Sinanan said this in turn, causes traffic problems.

He reiterated that there are “license stickers for all the vehicles.” However the problem is developing a system to ensure vehicles are inspected, Sinanan said. Communications Minister Stuart Young urged citizens to use the moratorium wisely. Sinanan also said the licensing office “will operate the randomisation of licensing of vehicles.” He said previously, the licensing office went to a “sequence number where, the computer generated numbers from two to 999.” This resulted in allegations that people were “still paying and getting special numbers.”

The randomised automated system, Sinanan explained “ allows the number to be computerised and the computer will generate the numbers.” Under this system, Sinanan was confident that “no one will be able to manipulate the system.” He said this system will also speed up the system of registering vehicles.