Sinanan: I will clean up licensing division

Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan.
Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan.

WORKS and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan said transformation is coming to Licensing Division and he pledged to "clean up" corruption.

He was contributing to budget debate in the House Tuesday.

He said the Government is on the cusp of revealing a sustainable and revolutionary transformation of the licensing division.

"The transformation that is about to be revealed is unparalleled and unmatched to any transformation initiated in the history of the licensing division in TT."

He said the new things coming on stream included the merit point system and red-light cameras.

"With technology being used we could minimise the unethical practices taking place at the licence office. Because I am not going to put my head in the sand and say that the licence office is the best place on earth. It is not. But we intend to take the fight on and clean up license office."

He said here is corruption at licensing office and at the port, "But we intend to deal with it."

He also said no scandal raised against his ministry can stand up to scrutiny and challenged any MP to bring one piece of information showing the Government had condoned corruption.

Sinanan said the previous administration's idea of transformation was buying overpriced properties from their friends and financiers. It had raised financing, he said, through a bond, from the National Insurance Property Development Company Ltd, of $367 million, which was supposed to cover Motor Vehicle Authority (MVA) access centres in Port of Spain, San Fernando and Tobago, a MVA head office in Caroni and two port facilities.

He said without Cabinet approval the majority of the financing, $260 million, went to the head office in Caroni and millions to construct a structure to prevent leaks at the Port of Spain office.

Sinanan said when this Government came to office only $36 million was left, and with that amount the following was done: new license office at Arima to be constructed and upgrade of existing office; upgrade of Port of Spain office vehicle inspection area; new satellite licence office in Guaico – construction has started; upgrading licensing office in Port of Spain, St James and San Fernando; outfitted new traffic enforcement centre at Caroni as part of operationalisation of Motor Vehicle and Road Traffic Act; initiative to train and develop of staff; and a comprehensive education campaign, about to be rolled out, to launch new transformative initiatives.

"All this with a mere $36 million. You could imagine if we had $300 million?"

He also said under a former transport minister an unsound building at Robinson Circular Road, Arima was bought for $27 million via the PTSC., but after the purchase Nipdec produced a report saying the building was unfit for human occupation and the real value was $17 million.

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"Sinanan: I will clean up licensing division"

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