THE National Assembly on Wednesday unanimously passed a Bill to ensure traffic offenders pay the necessary fines when they violate traffic laws, and also to hold traffic ranks accountable. The Summary Jurisdiction (Procedure) (Amendment) Bill of 2012 amends Clause Two of the Summary Jurisdiction (Procedure) Act to require police officers who are responsible for the issuing of traffic tickets, to submit copies of such tickets to the Officer in Charge of the respective police stations and to the clerk of the court in the magisterial district.
The clause further states that an officer who does not abide with this requirement commits an offence against discipline and would be liable to punishment under the Police (Discipline) Act.
The Bill also amends Clause 23 of the Principal Act with the insertion of a section that deals with the disqualification of the licencee and sets out procedures to be followed where the alleged offender does not appear in court at the time mentioned in the notice.
It provides for the progressive increases in the penalty for failure to pay the sum attached to the traffic ticket and sets out the effect of disqualification and the penalty incurred where the disqualified person applies for or obtains a licence during the period of disqualification.
The Bill further delineates the procedure to be followed by the clerk of the court and the disqualified person where a disqualified order has been made.
Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee in whose name the bill was tabled, told the House that these problems create annoyance for many people who are not even aware of the fact that they are breaking a law or engaging in a traffic offence.
He said that there is s disconnect between the Traffic Department of the Guyana Police Force and the Magistrate’s Court. This he said has led to non-payment of traffic tickets; as often times the police is not aware if the fine is not paid or if the offender appeared in court.
Rohee told the House of the need to develop an electronic traffic ticket accounting system, noting that technology has to be applied to every aspect of law enforcement. This he says will ensure that there is accountability, transparency and proper implementation and enforcement of these laws.
“The manual system that is currently in place has revealed that information on traffic offenders is passed to the Magistrate’s Court via copy of the traffic ticket issued by the Traffic Department and there is usually a considerable delay in the court receiving such document and this does not permit the court to enforce the seven-day grace period, Rohee explained.
He revealed that in 2009, a total 54,090 tickets were issued for various traffic offences countrywide; amounting to $347,835,000. Payment was received for only 10, 262 tickets, which amounted to $58,322,368, which meant that 43,828 traffic tickets were unpaid; resulting in a loss of $289,512,632 in revenues. This deficiency he said makes law enforcement a “mockery.”
A Partnership for National Unity (APNU)Member of Parliament ( MP) Basil Williams in his presentation accused the government of using the bill as a fund raising activity, adding that it is not earth shattering” legislation.
However, People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) MP Ms. Bibi Shaddick responded to Williams statement noting that: “It is every Government’s business to collect revenues, because this is what runs the country and you do not allow a few to get away with breaking the law.”
She noted that there are procedures in place to be followed and that people have to be accountable when those procedures are not followed. This Bill holds both officers of the law as well as the licencees of motor vehicles accountable.
She added that this bill reaffirms Government’s commitment to bringing legislation to the Parliament as the need arises.
Shaddick added that the bill will help to curb the in discipline attitude that exists among road users.