Millions expected in revenue from new traffic fees

Government stands to haul in millions during the vehicle inspection season for 2014 as a result of the House of Representatives granting approval to new fees and the introduction of new services that will directly affect vehicles and their owners.

The 15-member House of Representatives of the governing New National Party last Friday approved to increase some fees beyond 100 per cent and to include two new services which, according to Gregory Bowen, Leader of Government Business, was being requested or suggested for a long time now.

The new services are personalised license plate, which will cost EC$1 000 and certificate of extract of entry in Motor Vehicle Register, which will cost EC$10. Under the new fees, Examination or Inspection fees moved from EC$30 to EC$75, while amendment to any register or change of ownership has moved from EC$10 to EC$100; Replacement of driver’s license, which was free, will cost EC$50; Driver’s examination fee, which cost EC$10, will under the new structure cost EC$30; while the registration of certificate of registration of motor vehicle, which was free, will cost EC$50.

The new regulation was presented to the House by Bowen, who is also the Minister responsible for Communications and Works. He explained that the examination fee will be applicable each time a person fails the examination.

In justifying the new fees, he said that Grenada has some of the lowest traffic fees in the region and though it’s not aimed at standardising the structure, it will bring about a level of balance within the member state of the sub-region.

“In Dominica, for example, the inspection for a motor vehicle is EC$300 and in Trinidad is TT$300, but here owners just pay EC$30. Whereas as one will say that it’s just EC$150 when we convert to the EC to TT, there is no comparison with Dominica because we all use the same currency,” he said.

The new fees will come into effect once gazetted and date of effect is approved by the Minister as they don’t require the approval of the Upper House because it’s an amendment to the regulation, which falls into the responsibility of the Minister and not an amendment to the legislation.

The inspection period for vehicles is between January and June, and it is believed that there are more than 25 000 vehicles approved to be on the road. (LS)