Wired868 Wired868 for smart sport news and opinion
It turns out that motorists were not the only persons who were ill-prepared for 2019. Officials at the Ministry of Works and Transport confirmed this morning that the government had run out of certificates to distribute to road-worthy vehicles, via roughly 60 private garages nationwide.
The MOWT cock-up—which meant neither stickers nor documentation to prove an inspection was conducted, was available at inspection centres—arguably makes it impossible for licensing officers on the roads today to work out whether the fault of the un-inspected vehicle they pull over lies with the driver or their own employers.
And what about the hundreds of tickets for up to TT$5,000 which were issued yesterday for the same infraction?
Cue chaos and confusion that can spread from motorists to licensing officers to lawmen to, eventually, the Magistrate’s Court. How can you ticket motorists for not having certificates that you failed to provide for them in the first place?
In the driver’s seat of the farce is, not for the first time, the Cabo Star himself, Minister Rohan Sinanan.
By now, Mr Live Wire is convinced you could hand Sinanan jam, peanut butter and a loaf of bread and he couldn’t figure out how to give you a sandwich in return.
According to a MOWT source, the government was “constantly told there was a shortage of stickers or none at all” leading up to 1 January 2019. Yet, Sinanan refused to give an extension.
“Let drivers eat cake!” seems to have the crooning contractor’s motto in the build-up to the imbroglio.
Mr Live Wire could certainly think of a less savoury meal that Sinanan could treat himself.
After making a mockery of the Tobago sea-bridge, the inability of the Prime Minister’s ‘man of business’ to properly roll out what should have been a straightforward exercise has frustrated thousands of motorists.
(Copyright News.Gov.TT)
Is there anything simpler that Sinanan can do? Like call out the winning Play Whe numbers?
At this rate, Mr Live Wire is not sure that the Minister of Works and Transport could solve a 32 piece puzzle.
MV Watson Duke’s maiden launch from Tobago to Toco today was beset by mechanical problems. Duke—and his swim buddy, assemblyman Read more
Has the Sister Isle not suffered enough? Already feeling the brunt of the ongoing ferry fiasco, nervous about the Sandals Read more
It’s like deja vu all over again. Precious resources have been misused and abused, the Sister Isle has been cheated Read more
The Trinidad and Tobago electorate, both major political parties agreed, sent a clear message to its politicians at the Local Read more
When the first two people to offer congratulations to your new Minister of Works might well be Ishwar Galbaransingh and Read more
Is there a fine for slow brain movement in the fast lane? Should there be? Acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams Read more
Mr. Live Wire is an avid news reader who translates media reports for persons who can handle the truth. And satire. Unlike Jack Nicholson, he rarely yells.
. Not me eh. My car is 3 years old
Cabo Star Sininnan allyuh good yes.next thing allyuh go blame Gary for d murders.
Correction. Cobo Star Minister. Take a ride on it for yourself and talk after.
Debbie Espinal how u kno i have never been? Allyuh blaming d minister for “last minute trinis”.not absolving him from Cobo star dealings?
Are we not supposed to inspect our T vehicles every year and P every two years why the rush now We too LAWLESS as apeople
You’re missing the point. If MOWT didn’t have sufficient certificates ready for drivers on 3 January 2019, how would they have had those certificates five months ago if people went then?
Lasana it took us at least 6 attempts before we were able to get our car inspected in Tobago. Each time we were told they didn’t have forms or stickers. Finally got it done towards the end of November much to our relief. This was the main inspection garage in Carnbee.
Debbie that sounds horrible. Sometimes Trinis are too quick to jump on each other and give authorities a free pass.
Trust me it was extremely frustrating but my husband was paranoid about getting that sticker and being responsible adults we persevered. One time the young lady in the garage farsely asked me why yuh didn’t come before and i had to tell her we had to make sure the car would pass inspection first. Boi it was pressha.
http://www.cnc3.co.tt/press-release/ptsc-blames-union-officials-bus-failure-today?fbclid=IwAR3w-hsZ1M94_w5mv2gr_wM4Aozw4_SgrgimwinjyBWomo_cJ9JABstAePo
“The depletion of inspection books yesterday is not the cause [of the current licensing confusion]. The incontrovertible fact is that citizens have failed to utilise the five month period granted to them to become compliant with the law.
“[…] The Ministry acknowledges that the rush to have vehicles inspected did cause some depletion of the stock of inspection books yesterday but this was immediately addressed by the Government Printery whose staff worked overtime to ensure that the stocks are replenished and that citizens get their vehicles inspected.”
The following is a 874-word statement by Minister of Works and Transport Rohan Sinanan, which responds to criticism of his ministry after the shortage of inspection certificates caused chaos for motorists at inspection centres nationwide:
https://wired868.com/2019/01/03/sinanan-admits-some-depletion-in-stock-of-inspection-books-but-calls-criticism-bizarre-unfortunate-and-misplaced/
They all had 5 months no sympathy for the drivers or MOWT ps u don’t need the sticker the paper work will do.
But that is the issue now it seems: Paperwork finished too…lol it appears no more certificates…lol… i guess is photocopying from now on…
Andreas Stueven lol
but agree with you … who miss the train… but looks like MOWT missed the same train…lol
Joel, the point is there was NO paperwork. Like yuh didn’t read the story good. Lol.
Lasana Liburd show him the one you made up nah..lol
?
Lasana Liburd i need 4 please…
Lasana Liburd Demand and supply, Las..the price..lol
Savitri lol not paying 3000 eh
Andreas Stueven look at the expiry date, you will never have to pay again..lmao
Savitri Maharaj i knw… still aint paying 3000…lol
Wouldn’t it make more sense to do this around individual’s dates of birth to avoid this massive clog up at the beginning of a new year? I mean for chrissakes, this is not rocket science…..
it would be spread out, if everyone would have gone for the last 5-10Years. But ppl stopped going when there were no stickers and then Licensing stopped penalizing and one thing lead to another, remember the inspection is valid for 2 Years exact: Dec 2918-Dec2020 or Jan2019-Jan2021 and so on….
so now everyone is going at once… never the less Licencing should have prepared their stock of stickers and certs just like the drivers their cars….
Andreas it’s such a pity that TT citizens can’t take responsibility for their damn tardiness. It doesn’t excuse the MOWT, but seriously man. Ppl get a 6 month moratorium and still scrambling at the end while blaming all manner of people and orgs. Steups
Well the people who staff and run the Licensing Office and the public utilising its services are all products of the same last minute, undisciplined culture so l guess it’s no surprise the whole thing was effed up …. ?????
As a non trini i will treat lightly with my assesment…lol
Bottom line is if people had used the 5 months to get their car inspected the resources would not have run out from everybody and dey brother showing up on Dec 31st. If the moratorium was 1 month or 1 year the result dould have been the same
Rose-Marie Lemessy-Forde true…
Rose-Marie if MOWT didn’t have the number of certificates necessary now, how would they have had them five months ago?
Lasana if they print them locally i agree that a large number of stock is not necessary, which at times of increased demand can lead to shortages … one can argue of course that the licencing office should have forseen the setting of the trini mentality.. then again dey trinis too right? In 10 years they didnt manage to print sufficent stickers…lol
Lasana Liburd well it’s a matter of stock. If you generally need 10,000 a month and then with the moratorium you expect maybe 20,000 a month, you figure you could always print more as needed. But I guess nobody was prepared for everybody coming in the last few days. If licensing had a proper computerized system they would have known how many inspections were outstanding. But maybe their systems are not that developed.
Rose-Marie then the system is just as much to blame. If you know there are 80,000 cars and you are not prepared to process as many then you are just as culpable.
Yet the minister talking about laissez faire public and glossing past that bit.
The sea bridge was probably tobagonians’ fault too… ?
Lol.
The stickers have a year on it.
The stickers that were used on December 31 2018 (as it would be stale dated in 2020) can’t be used on January 2 2019 (as it would be stale dated in 2021).
So the presumption that a mad volume of stickers could be produced and put into a corner is a fallacy
People who have actual experience in JIT service delivery and production would understand.
Kwesi you still haven’t said why it is fine for the government to run out of inspection books on January 3. Now it’s one thing to say that they issued their usual 200 sticker books for 1,000 people and 3,000 people showed up.
But that’s not what happened. Many Garages got no books at all.
Whose fault is that?
Yeah, and according to that reasoning (or lack thereof) the passport disaster was also the public’s fault, seriously, does this Minister not know the culture in which he operates? Any project launched in any country, region, nation, must take that into consideration or fall flat on its face …
Tanya I won’t doubt that part of the reason Trinis are late with most things is a lack of faith in the system built up over the years too.
Always wary of late changes.
But I won’t go there in case someone explodes trying to comprehend.
MOWT has a responsibility to deliver insurance certificates on a daily basis to these garages. It failed to do so.
And Sinanan wrote 847 words and never said “sorry”. That’s a mark of the man he is.
Lasana Liburd I think we can agree that the MOWT fell short in some areas. But I sincerely believe that if the people didn’t wait until last minute the shortcomings and supply issues would have been addressed in a timely manner. Look at these people. You swear licensing had $50 hams?
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=356677731582013&id=184999232083198
How does a matter of inspecting a vehicle become a hot bed political issue?. I’ll tell you. We can’t rise above who we are to look at anything without a jaundiced eye or blood red for that matter
If is me yuh throwing words for, I cyar help you. This is on a smaller scale to the Cabo Star mess, that is onging..doh shoot the messenger
Savitri Maharaj Certainly was not my focus but your reply does indicate some anxiety. Ent?
Not at all, but I know how it goes here 😉
Chups..this is the real PM
Incompetence at its worst. Minister Sinanan needs to accept responsibility and resign after all the 4 kups attributed to him. Cabo Starbwill be a calypso and a definite liability for this PMM government come 2020.
Today’s Express he insists there are enough stickers…he and VMCOTT…
Well why did everyone wait for the additional 6 months to now try to get their car inspected?
Cause the ministry offered an extension and why do it six months ago i lost time by doing that
the same problem would have occured earlier, if everyone had gone right away, cause this is a MOWT Recource management problem, just like it was from day one saying they had no stickers… now they also run otta certificatews, cause someone wasn’t able to finish his math work in time…lol
Because life …..
Jevon Jeffrey apparently Gov Printery run a nightshift and certs are available again…lol
Andreas Stueven but u seeing this dont think they playing lmao
It never rains but it pours…
I expect so little and get even less from the authorities.
Gary Griffith Syndrome. Is always somebody not the Liscence Staff/Management not the Police just Gary. Allyuh entertaining oui
1 word: ouch.
1 word: wow.
This is messed up to the highest degree.
I have to carry my vehicle for yearly inspection and now I have to face this madness?
WTF!
Kevin Augustine don’t know what type of vehicle you have. I have a private car. Inspection is every two years.
Taxi. Commercial vehicles are to be inspected yearly.
It doesn’t work like that …allyu will never learn….the Dept. or the Cabo Star fella have a minimum of 3000 stickers to hand out to ‘associates and colleagues’ at $3,000 a sticker….. that is an easy $9 Million… no lineup… no waiting in garage… no repairing …. is so it does work….. like allyu just come here
$300 a sticker…
nah d 3000 is the right figure Lasana.. dat d convenience fee…
Lasana Liburd that is the legal way…but if you dont want to wait in line or go through an inspection process which may lead to repairs…the price for this convenience… delivered to your office will most likely be $2,000-$3,000 a pop.
And you kmow he thanking you for your support because you can afford it…..it’s called a contribution ?
remember: is for no lineup, no waiting and no fixing…
Wow!!! Okay…
$300 no line up no garage, just bring your documents and come ( in some places)
When you go to the licensing office..to renew your license..it have a fella does charge $100 to give you a medical form… and carry you straight to his pardner behind the counter… who probably getting a cut…. you think it easy
It has nothing to do with late: Number of registered Vehicles-those that gone to the dump-those that doh care/2Years=annual need for stickers and Certs… no matter late or not… lol
I fed up oui…. we further down the banana
What about delinquent MOWT…how could they run out of stickers, it’s like they expect to not have to hand out as many as they should have to hand out…
You had one job…….
Can’t believe that there were so many delinquent car owners!
Who says delinquency is the only reason to wait until January 2? A few drivers pointed out that the early birds got stickers until 2020, those who waited a few weeks more and got theirs in 2019 should have until 2021.
For some it was a financial decision.
aside MOWT will need x-amount sticker/Annum… whether dealing with delinquent or not… if they had done their job stickers and certs should be piling up in their office from those delinquents till they pop out of their ears as we would say in Germany
Andreas exactly!
After ten years of expirinece you should have a very accurate idea of how many stickers/year you need… oh i forget… there were no stickers/Certs in the last 10 Years…lol
My sticker expired in late October… My van has been at ANSA compound fixing since beginning of November. I’m getting it back this weekend. Am I deserving of a $5000 ticket?
And there will be no obe to rationalize all that sense
Peter Joseph that’s an interesting question. Ministry should reply to this one.
Reynold F. Ollivierre now I have to hope that my receipt from the company is sufficient to convince the officers.
Peter Joseph the Transport Division did put out an press release.
It is. Receipt and check slip that lists requirements?
Since 2010 no decals