Sinanan hopeful on car inspections

WORKS and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan is optimistic that people who are yet to have their vehicles inspected,will get that done soon.

In a statement on Wednesday, Sinanan said the ministry was not to blame for people not getting their cars inspected.

He told Newsday he was advised there was a steady flow of vehicles at the licensing offices and various inspection stations across the country and said the stock of inspection books at these locations had been increased.

There may still be some logistical problems, he said, because of the volume of people coming to get their vehicles inspected. but had no information on how many vehicles were inspected during the five-month moratorium which ran from last July to December.

On Twitter, the ministry posted a message about various penalties people could face if their vehicles are not inspected and certified at the Licensing Division or other authorised garages.

These penalties include a $1,000 fine for permitting excess sparks, smoke or visible vapour to come from a vehicle; $750 and two demerit points for a vehicle with no reflecting mirror and $300 and two demerit points for a vehicle with no windshield wiper or a defective windshield wiper.

Kenny Ali from Couva said that since last week he had been unable to get his car inspected as the station he went to in Couva had no inspection books. He was hoping the situation would improve next week.

Carl Maxwell, who went to an inspection station in Freeport, said he was told to come back next week. Maxwell said while this station had inspection books and stickers, it was handling heavy vehicles today.

Another driver. who declined to give his name, said he managed to get his vehicle inspected at the Licensing Office in Caroni after spending half the day there. This driver said he was unable to get his vehicle inspected during the moratorium because of other, pressing personal commitments.