Not so, Chief Secretary

The unfortunate response of Tobago's Chief Secretary Farley Augustine to his wife being temporarily detained by police during traffic exercises in Tobago, last week, was unnecessary.

It also exposes an attitude of distrust some in Tobago have toward Trinidad in matters of the Central government's authority over agencies that regulate both islands, such as the Licensing Division.

Mrs Nedd-Augustine was stopped by licensing officers when she could not produce her driver's permit on request.

Mr Augustine described the traffic exercises as "hordes of officers coming up from Trinidad to terrorise Tobagonians."

The Chief Secretary further described the enforcement of road regulations as "disruptive" and a "mad rush" to issue tickets.

THA Secretary of Infrastructure, Quarries and Urban Development Trevor James called on the police to remove the licensing officers operating in Tobago, describing the move by the division to enforce road regulations as being done without collaboration or common courtesy. He made the same demand in a letter to Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan.

Over the course of the division’s exercises, done in ten areas across Tobago between April 13 and 19, the police issued 692 fixed-penalty notices to drivers, so there is legitimate cause for concern about road safety and adherence to the road rules on the island.

Twenty-nine drivers were disqualified from driving as because of their accumulated demerit points. At least one driver was found driving with a total of 77 demerit points.

Drivers are suspended from driving for six months for having between ten and fourteen demerit points, for a year for having more than 14 and less than 20 demerit points.

Mr Augustine's outburst was also ironic, given that in March he publicly lamented the number of road accidents and vehicle-related fatalities on the island. That month, Tobago recorded its fourth road fatality.

Clearly there was a need for more robust reminders of the laws governing safe driving in Tobago.

Tobago, like Trinidad, has challenges in maintaining adherence to established road laws and in Mr Augustine's case, the problem came home.

Mrs Nedd-Augustine was allowed to leave after her driver's permit was verified, though the police reserved their decision about her infraction.

The Transport Commissioner is right that to assert the division's authority to enforce the laws in both islands, and made it clear that most in the exercises were Tobago officers.

However, Mr James, Tobago's peer in governance to Sinanan, is correct to note that the decision to robustly enforce the traffic laws should have been done in consultation.

In failing to do so, Mr Sinanan, and the Transport Commissioner, missed an opportunity to take advantage of local knowledge of traffic issues and to reinforce better relations between the THA and the Central government.

Mr Sinanan and Mr James should meet as proposed and the Chief Secretary, noting the practical results of the Licensing Division's work on the island, should commit to working collaboratively to establish a safer and more responsible environment for drivers in Tobago.