Latest update September 7th, 2024 12:59 AM
Mar 26, 2009 News
The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) Licence Revenue Office was yesterday the scene of confusion, as scores of people flocked the Princes Street office to uplift their new machine-readable road service licenses for their motor vehicles.
The new machine readable road service licences are read with a scanner and are apparently harder to forge.
Additionally, the GRA has said that with the introduction of the new computerised system, the GRA will be able to detect any unscrupulous activities by owners of motor vehicles and dealers.
Commissioner-General of the GRA, Khurshid Sattaur appealed to the public to be patient with the recently introduced Licence Revenue Office Management Information System (LRO/MIS).
Sattaur said that persons need not be concerned if they are issued with an automated road service licence with the name of the previous owner printed thereon, since it is the registration certificate for the vehicle that establishes ownership.
He added that in instances where this occurs, the police would be briefed with regard to the incorrect name on the motor vehicle licence.
The Commissioner-General of the GRA also stated that amendments are currently being made to the system so as to have the correct owner’s name printed on the licence.
According to Sattaur, the new machine-readable road service licences will help the GRA to identify false number plates. “We are helping to stamp out corruption. We will find those who are trying to defraud the system,” said Sattaur.
He added that at present many persons are using false licences and smuggling vehicles into the country.
The line of people waiting to be served stretched out of the premises of the GRA office and down Smyth Street. Many in line expressed their displeasure at having to wait for extended periods of time before they were served.
According to reports from motorists, the road licences went on sale earlier this week, and already the police are stopping road users (especially minibus operators) and are requesting the road licence.
“If you don’t have the road licence, then they take you to the police station and give you trouble,” said a minibus driver.
The central problem, said many of the persons waiting at the Licence Revenue Office, is that the licence office, on Princes and Smyth Streets, is the only place where these road service licences can be uplifted by people living along the Demerara Coast and also those living on East Bank Essequibo all the way to Parika.
“This whole process is very time consuming,” said one driver, “but I need to get the licence.”
According to the GRA, motor vehicle owners have until June 22, 2009 to acquire their road service licence. Individuals who purchase their road service licences after the stipulated date will incur a 10 per cent fine of the licence cost.
Certifying offices in Essequibo, Berbice and Linden will continue to issue motor vehicle licence manually. Speaking to staffers of the Licence Revenue Office, this newspaper was told that when persons come to purchase their road service licences, if their names are in the computer database then the licences are issued immediately.
When there are cases where all of the registration details are not on the new computer system, steps have already been taken to have the registration details of these vehicles updated. If the applicant’s registration details are missing, then the applicant will be asked to return within two days, by which time the information would have been entered into the database. Nonetheless, persons working at the Licence Revenue Office admitted that there were many persons who needed to be attended to, but said that they were doing their best.
At present, staffers of the Licence Revenue Office are working overtime to help clear the mass of persons applying to get their road service licences.
Mineral and oil rich country borrowing to feed, clothe and house its citizens.
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