Inspection garages shut down over 'questionable' stickers

Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan says three inspection garages were shut down , including one on Friday, after it was found they had given inspection certificates to vehicles which had not met the requirements.

He was responding to a question in the House yesterday.

Chaguanas East MP Fazal Karim asked if garages had been found to be issuing approved inspection stickers which have been questionable.

Sinanan responded: "There have been instances where we have found vehicles – using some of the information on social media and by the licensing officers on the road – we came across vehicles that should not have been granted inspection stickers.

"To date we have cancelled two garages licences and my information is that today (Friday) a third inspection station will be removed from the list, and some inspectors."

In the substantive question Sinanan was asked what percentage of vehicles were found to be defective at inspection stations in 2018.

He responded that at this time there was no system in place to retrieve data of this nature from the garages to update the Licensing Office, but what can be determined is the number of vehicles inspected and found to be in good working condition, based on the number of stickers issued.