Jack wants 3-month grace for renewing drivers' permits

Works and Transport Minister will propose to cabinet Thursday that drivers get a three-month moratorium on renewing their expired driving permits. And he will also ask cabinet to authorise a forensic audit of the "corrupt" Licensing Office that he inherited.

He was responding to questions at Licensing in both North and South Trinidad where a lack of cameras is causing frustration. Reports say there were no cameras at St James, San Fernando, Princes Town and Point Fortin. So people are flocking to the Port of Spain office to have their permits renewed.

“I propose to go to the Cabinet on Thursday and ask the Cabinet to get people a three-month deferral within whatever legal requirements you have to do, so that nobody could be prosecuted for not having their licence renewed in time,” Warner told the Trinidad Express Tuesday.

“This would be an interim measure because you cannot blame the motoring public for the nonsense that is taking place at the Licensing Office. It is scandalous in the extreme and it cannot be allowed to continue. And it makes it almost imperative for the Licensing Authority to be reformed in the shortest possible time,” he added.

The minister said plans for an improved service are in place and promised to aggressively work to fix the problems in the new year.

He expressed frustration that minor issues are causing so much chaos. “These are basic things that the people need. We build tall buildings, buy fast boats and we cannot buy some parts for cameras,” he said.

"I also inherited a Licensing Office where there was not a single functional camera and they were making do with bits and pieces. And I said to them that they have to order some cameras. They ordered but the bureaucracy dictates that it takes six weeks to get some cameras," the minister explained.

“They began to cannibalise cameras from different agencies...A lot of foolishness was taking place. I said this cannot continue and while they are going through their bureaucracy for cameras, I called my New York office and asked them to send me down five cameras by the fastest possible means so that I could put things in order,” he said.

Warner is paying for the cameras and giving them as a gift "so that they cannot tell me anything about tendering and procurement.” He told the paper his main concern is to bring relief to the public.