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Pulled over, plates seized: Motorists being used to fill coffers?
C.M.
Salt Hill, Content Gap
East Rural
On Friday afternoon, August 24, as we were accompanying our family to catch a flight at the Norman Manley International Airport, we were stopped by a policeman and instructed to pull over into an abandoned gas station.
There was no apparent reason, as we had not been speeding; but we complied. Our vehicle was then subjected to a 'random fitness check' by an inspector from one of the motor vehicle examination depots, as part of an 'operation' seemingly set up by both blue- and red-seam police.
After the examination, just as we thought, the inspector was about to return our documents to us, he suddenly looked down and declared that our left front tyre was defective. Without further ado, he instructed that the licence plates be removed immediately and a traffic ticket and certificate of defect issued.
We were assured that we could drive for 24 hours without plates; but were still completely taken aback by this drastic action, as we were indeed in possession of a valid certificate of fitness.
The following Monday, having paid the fines (amounting to $12,700) and replaced the defective tyre ($11,000), we were issued a certificate of defect remedied, and told we could retrieve our licence plates at the Elletson Road Police Station. After two unsuccessful visits and several phone calls, and to no fewer than four other local police stations, and also to both examination depots to try to locate the plates, we finally learned (from a very helpful gentleman at the Transport Authority) that they were at the Island Special Constabulary Force headquarters at Harman Barracks.
WHAT'S THE POINT?
We finally retrieved the plates on September 4, after further delay, once the inspector was able to locate the key to the room where they were being kept.
As instructed, I attempted to turn in the certificate of defect remedied to the Kingston collectorate in order to "remove the ban on the licence plates", but was told that the original certificate of defect had not yet been logged into the system and, this would not be done for a couple more months, I was told I should simply keep this document with the other car papers. So what was the point?
This was, to say the least, a very untidy operation and, I have been since reliably informed, also an illegal one. Inspections of vehicles should only be carried out at authorised depots. I consider this type of behaviour, therefore, to be pure harassment. If the tyre was, indeed, defective, as a motorist, it was my duty to replace it in a timely manner.
We should have been given an opportunity to remedy the situation that afternoon, considering that we were in possession of a valid certificate of fitness.
Are people being pulled over with a view to making our roads safer, or are we pawns in a quota-driven game to fill the country's coffers? What is the sense in having a fine imposed and also having one's licence plates removed?
What can another law-abiding citizen, one who is barely eking out an existence, do in such a situation, if he or she is fined and also deprived of his means of transportation?
There must be methods of ensuring compliance other than stopping people for illegal on-the-spot inspections, removing plates, and causing drama and frustration.
And finally, what sanctions can be imposed on the officers involved in these ongoing 'illegal' operations?
C.M.
Salt Hill, Content Gap
East Rural
On Friday afternoon, August 24, as we were accompanying our family to catch a flight at the Norman Manley International Airport, we were stopped by a policeman and instructed to pull over into an abandoned gas station.
There was no apparent reason, as we had not been speeding; but we complied. Our vehicle was then subjected to a 'random fitness check' by an inspector from one of the motor vehicle examination depots, as part of an 'operation' seemingly set up by both blue- and red-seam police.
After the examination, just as we thought, the inspector was about to return our documents to us, he suddenly looked down and declared that our left front tyre was defective. Without further ado, he instructed that the licence plates be removed immediately and a traffic ticket and certificate of defect issued.
We were assured that we could drive for 24 hours without plates; but were still completely taken aback by this drastic action, as we were indeed in possession of a valid certificate of fitness.
The following Monday, having paid the fines (amounting to $12,700) and replaced the defective tyre ($11,000), we were issued a certificate of defect remedied, and told we could retrieve our licence plates at the Elletson Road Police Station. After two unsuccessful visits and several phone calls, and to no fewer than four other local police stations, and also to both examination depots to try to locate the plates, we finally learned (from a very helpful gentleman at the Transport Authority) that they were at the Island Special Constabulary Force headquarters at Harman Barracks.
WHAT'S THE POINT?
We finally retrieved the plates on September 4, after further delay, once the inspector was able to locate the key to the room where they were being kept.
As instructed, I attempted to turn in the certificate of defect remedied to the Kingston collectorate in order to "remove the ban on the licence plates", but was told that the original certificate of defect had not yet been logged into the system and, this would not be done for a couple more months, I was told I should simply keep this document with the other car papers. So what was the point?
This was, to say the least, a very untidy operation and, I have been since reliably informed, also an illegal one. Inspections of vehicles should only be carried out at authorised depots. I consider this type of behaviour, therefore, to be pure harassment. If the tyre was, indeed, defective, as a motorist, it was my duty to replace it in a timely manner.
We should have been given an opportunity to remedy the situation that afternoon, considering that we were in possession of a valid certificate of fitness.
Are people being pulled over with a view to making our roads safer, or are we pawns in a quota-driven game to fill the country's coffers? What is the sense in having a fine imposed and also having one's licence plates removed?
What can another law-abiding citizen, one who is barely eking out an existence, do in such a situation, if he or she is fined and also deprived of his means of transportation?
There must be methods of ensuring compliance other than stopping people for illegal on-the-spot inspections, removing plates, and causing drama and frustration.
And finally, what sanctions can be imposed on the officers involved in these ongoing 'illegal' operations?
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