Over the last two months, 50 drivers of motor vehicles have been disqualified from holding or obtaining a driver’s license, after it was discovered that they had been driving without a driver’s license.

A release from the Police Public Relations and Complaints Department said that between February 1, 2015 when ‘Operation Traffic Check Clamp Down’ began and March 20, there have been 957 reports of traffic violations.{{more}}

In an interview with SEARCHLIGHT yesterday, head of traffic, Superintendent Kenneth John explained that the 957 violations included persons driving uninsured and unlicensed vehicles and persons driving without permits.

John noted that 580 motor vehicle drivers were ticketed for various offences and that his officers detected 155 unlicensed motor vehicles and 138 uninsured vehicles.

Eighty-four persons were charged for driving without a valid driver’s licence.

John explained that all of the persons who were found to be violating the traffic laws were taken to court and have been dealt with accordingly. Of the 84 persons found to be driving without a valid driver’s licence, 50 have been disqualified from holding or obtaining a driver’s license for a period of six months and one year respectively.

The traffic department has also embarked on a campaign to clamp down on motor cycle owners who fail to comply with the law. Superintendent John said their campaign dubbed: “Motor Cycle Clamp Down”, commenced on March 26.

“We discovered a number of vehicle owners, especially motorcycles, are taking registration numbers from other vehicles to put on these vehicles or motor cycles. When checks were done, the chassis numbers did not correspond with registration numbers. As a result of that we had to start this new operation,” the release from the police said.

According to John, between March 26 and March 31, several motor cycles have been removed from the roads.

Up to press time, John said approximately 15 motor cycles failed to meet the traffic regulations and the drivers were charged.

“We at the traffic department are calling on all motor vehicle owners, including motor cycle owners to have their vehicles rectified in keeping with the laws of St Vincent and the Grenadines. There will be no place to hide, because day and night throughout SVG, we will be carrying out checks,” John said.