Sticker shortage affects vehicle inspection sites

Since January, vehicle inspection stations across the country have been unable to distribute stickers because of a shortage.

But while some stations started getting stickers last week, and the problem is reportedly being resolved, vehicle inspectors said the situation has been a nuisance.

Throughout the shortage, inspectors at one station on Union Road in Marabella were able to do inspections because they could still give out inspection certificates.

But when Newsday visited it on Thursday, an inspector, who didn’t want to be identified, claimed several customers had reported that they were charged for not having stickers.

The inspector told Newsday, “People call many times saying the police charged them although they had their proper documentation and a valid reason.

“Of course the case was thrown out when they went to court, but it was still an inconvenience.”

The inspector said officials from different licensing divisions were contacting inspectors last week to tell them stickers were available again, and their garage was told to collect stickers by Friday.

To date, the inspector said a reason has not been given as to why there was a sticker shortage, but there were rumours that the printer was down.

Inspectors at another Union Road station told Newsday they have been visiting the Caroni Licensing Office every two weeks since January in hopes of getting stickers.

But like inspectors at other stations, they left empty-handed every time.

One said, “We could have conducted our inspections with the other documentation, but we just couldn’t give out stickers.

“But you know people does want their stickers.”

At B & L Automotive Service on Battoo Avenue, Marabella, Brando Moore told Newsday the station was finally able to get stickers on Tuesday after being unable to do so since January.

While the station’s operations were unaffected by the shortage because it had inspection certificates to give, Moore said there were customers who were concerned when they didn’t get a sticker.

Newsday was unable to get a comment from Transport Commissioner Clive Clarke on the issue.

Contacted for comment, Minister of Works and Transport Rohan Sinanan told Newsday he wasn’t informed of any sticker shortage.