~ Says issuing of licences should not have stopped ~
PHILIPSBURG--Justice Minister Roland Duncan says his ministry will be taking over the administration of the issuance of drivers' licences, as he is kept in the dark about issues related to the licences, although he carries the responsibility for this.
The minister also believes that the issuance of drivers' licences never should have stopped as abruptly as it did, as there are provisions for a transition period from use of the old licence to the new one.
The issuance of drivers' licences stopped several months ago, putting motorists who have lost their licences or whose licences have expired, in limbo.
Elaborating on his move to take over the administration of the licences, Duncan told The Daily Herald on Tuesday that while drivers' licences were his responsibility, the staffers responsible for the issuance of the licences "answer" to General Affairs Minister Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams.
As a result of this, Duncan said, he is unaware as to what is happening at the department on many occasions and is not consulted on all decisions taken relating to the issuance of drivers' licences.
"I am responsible, but the civil state doesn't answer to me," Duncan said. He said taking over the administration of the licences "will take some time. It won't happen overnight."
Duncan has had discussions on this matter with the Secretary-General of the General Affairs Ministry.
His taking over the administration will mean that once this process is completed, drivers will have to go to a new location to obtain their driver's licences. Duncan said he had not yet identified a new location to house the administration, but it was being looked at.
Getting staffers on board for this task is also being looked into. "Since it is my responsibility, I will do the administration myself, but this won't happen overnight. We have to hire people, we have to create space and we have to make formal arrangements such as who will be the boss and where to do this. It won't be at the Census Office [Department of Civil Registry, ed.]," he said.
Duncan said his taking over the administration did not mean that the civil servants should stop carrying out their responsibility as it relates to the issuing of drivers' licences. He said the legislation for the new cards to be issued had been approved recently. He minister said the legislation had been sent to him and he had to go over it and have the legal people who advise him look at it as well.
The new cards no longer will bear the name of the former Netherlands Antilles. They will be pink in colour and carry a picture of the pelican. The Daily Herald understands that the new cards are likely to be issued soon.
Duncan was very firm in his position that the issuance of drivers' licences never should have stopped in the first place. Many motorists have complained to this newspaper that they are being pulled over and in some cases fined for expired licences or for not having a licence because they had misplaced theirs.
"We have transition legislation in place. You can't stop it abruptly. You could have solved the problem easily, but I was not consulted. They made a decision on their own."
Asked whether he had raised this concern with his counterpart minister, Duncan said, "If I am doing something in your name or on your behalf, should I approach you and tell you that this is the case and this is what I recommend? That hasn't happened.
"The people at Civil State on their own took whatever measures they thought were best and that decision turned out to be not too smart and not too efficient and not too right. ... They did not consult me on transition or temporary measures. This is something that is not good for government and it sounds stupid that two ministries are not talking to each other properly. We work for the same government.
"I don't have the administration of this so don't know what's going on. ... I am guided by what they give me to sign."
Duncan said while the "one-stop-shop" for government services was a "commendable" idea, this was not working in this sense. "If carried out well, and it could be in the new government administration building, it would be commendable, but it's not working properly. I don't see why they couldn't have checked and consulted me and I don't see the need to cut off what they're doing before they were ready for a new system.
"We have transitional laws that didn't make a driver's licence invalid that said Netherlands Antilles. I know that it may not have been pretty, but they could have issued a letter or form to drivers. Don't just cut it off and announce it before the new legislation is approved."
Duncan's advice for motorists who are being fined is to challenge it in court. He said motorists in this situation should keep the proof that they had applied for a new licence, but were denied, or that they had filed a report that their licence was misplaced and they could not get a new one, and present this to the court.
Duncan apologised to motorists for the "discomfort" this entire matter is causing. "That is why I will give better service, as I am the one responsible."
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