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Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM |
The Free National Movement is appalled and dumbfounded that the government of The Bahamas has once again, not properly planned the roll-out of the new motor vehicle licencing system at the Road Traffic Department.
The lack of adequate planning and regular public information and updates has contributed significantly to the confusion, chaos and long lines at the Department.
The FNM is on record and has trail blazed the efforts to improve revenue collection and quality service delivery. However, we regard as unacceptable and unprofessional any attempts to introduce a new system to the public without the corresponding information and internal staff training. This apparently is what the PLP has done in this situation. Consequently, the chaos, confusion, and frustration of the public and staff at the Road Traffic Department. The blame must be laid at their feet.
Additionally, the government has contributed to the chaos in the following ways; therefore we condemn them publically;
1. They have introduced a system of Vehicle Registration that is primarily driven by licence plate number but they do not have the licence plates in place to give to customers and to correctly enter the motor vehicle data in the new system. We are advised that the licence plates are still in production in the USA and the Department is unable to confirm when the plates will arrive in The Bahamas.
2. The Bahamian public should be advised that several known Bahamian companies submitted Bids on the projects but they were all denied for the Mom and Pops Company “Data Talks” which was to provide a Turn Key system to the government for 4.5 million dollars. We now know that the system produced by this company was introduced by the Department at a cost of approximately 9 million dollars.
3. The government has yet to formulate and present to parliament the legislation that would amend the “Licence Plate for Life Legislation” that would permit the reservation of plates and for the government to issue existing numbers to different customers. This is significant because persons who have lost one of their plates during the hurricane cannot get replacement plates and the Department is in the process of reserving plates and charging fees which may be contrary to the existing legislation.
4. The Government has reengaged Dillotte & Touch in the registration process once again. The last time this company was engaged to licence vehicles for Road Traffic, ALL of the licence Disc that they issued faded and had to be recalled and redone by the Road Traffic Department. The government lost hundreds of thousands of dollars in this process so we ask the question, “Why are we engaging a failed company in the process once again?”
5. The government has side-lined the permanent and experienced staff at the department and has made the recently hired temporary workers the face of the Department and the leaders of the automation process. This has not only totally demoralized many of the hardworking staff members but it has also resulted in making the Department even more dysfunctional. The lack of experience and trained customer service staff members is further proof that the government does not give priority to customer service in their agencies.
6. Finally, it is disgraceful and totally unacceptable that the government regards as acceptable the notion that they can collect licence fees and registration fees and only issue a receipt to qualify a vehicle to be on the road, ignoring the law which requires a disc and a plate as proof of licencing. This is a disgrace. We deserve better and the PLP must go.
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