Garth Rattray
I FEEL compelled to comment on the Sunday Observer's exposé (May 15, 2005) that belaboured the topic of corruption surrounding certificates of fitness at the Swallowfield Motor Vehicle Examination Depot, which is administered by the Island Traffic Authority (ITA). I was amused by the follow-up piece (published last Tuesday), reporting that the Transport Minister instructed that they 'try to find the culprit' (emphasis on 'the'). I was even more tickled by a published complaint that, "persons who know of fraudulent activity are usually reluctant to come forward." The real problem is that government is so mired in red tape and hampered by bureaucracy, inefficiency, disquiet, inertia and unmotivated workers that the system begs for and nurtures corrupt practices.
PARTIALLY TRUE STORIES
The statistics provided by the Observer do not tell the whole story and are very misleading. The paper quotes officials as saying that a 'fair number' of motor vehicle accidents occurred because vehicles were in some way mechanically defective. The exposé stated that during the time period 2000 to 2003, faulty vehicles caused 877 accidents. Although the actual figures from the Police Traffic Headquarters reveal that during that stated time period, defective vehicles caused 1,098 accidents, what is far more important is the fact that defective vehicles are only the thirteenth cause of traffic accidents.
The top 16 reasons for traffic accidents are: following too closely (6,390), apparent error in judgment (5,778), disobeying traffic signals (3,513), failing to keep near to the side (3,331), improper overtaking (2,736), losing control (2,670), misjudging clearance/distance (2,608), turning without due care (2,606), crossing heedlessly (2,501), excess speed (2,391), improper change of lane (2,325), skidding (1,136), defective vehicles (1,098), bad
roads not maintained (821), disobeying pedestrian crossings (776) and alcohol/
drugs (167). Taking all these plus 'unknown' and 'other' causes into account, defective vehicles only caused 2.2 per cent of reported accidents.
INVESTIGATING LICENCE PURCHASING
The statistics clearly prove what every road user already knows; driver error is by far and away the leading cause of carnage and financial losses on our roads. Why then has no one seen it fit to investigate or to do an exposé on the widespread 'buying' of driver's licences? I am certainly not blaming any individual and Lord knows that people like ITA director Winston Rattray and Chief Motor Vehicle Examiner Don Taylor are in no position to effect the changes needed to dissuade corrupt practices. Corruption comes mainly as a result of governmental inefficiencies. It is endemic and pernicious. Solving this problem will take administrative reforms, numerous sting operations and ministerial resolve.
On October 19, 1993 one of our Rottweiler dogs chewed up the front licence plate (7199 AT) of the car. We went through the usual, reporting to the police and paid $650 for a replacement set of plates at 1:09:47 p.m. at the Constant Spring Collectorate. We were issued temporary plates (Temporary 5103) and after more than five or six years of checking in person for the new replacement plates, we finally gave up (we had also sold the car). About three years ago a patient of mine had a similar experience but he knew someone who replaced his damaged plates the very next day for $2,000 without going through the system.
UNSCRUPULOUS EXAMINERS
The current system facilitates corruption and dishonesty. Some unscrupulous examiners have a way of failing learner drivers for trivial reasons, yet they sell driver's licences for private motorcars, public passenger vehicles, small and large trucks at a cost of between $10,000 and $20,000. Many examiners harass our cars and perform tyre-smoking, break-squealing figure of eights when putting the vehicles through extraordinary speedy twists and turns. Some display brusque and disrespectful mannerisms. It's hard to stomach the scowling faces, long hours and rigmarole that we must oftentimes endure at the depots. Nobody listens when the public complains about the short opening hours or the fact that if it drizzles you cannot have your car examined (as if cars don't drive in the rain).
Undoubtedly, systemic inefficiencies open the door to exploitation by some civil servants and the dishonest, illiterate, unschooled or inept wannabe drivers. This is what truly cries out for an in-depth investigation.
Dr. Garth Rattray is a medical doctor with a family practice
