Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic (amendment) bill passed – driver’s licence fee for pensioners waived

Guyanese 65 years and over will no longer be required to pay for a driver’s licence as the National Assembly last evening passed the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic (amendment) bill 2016 making this possible.

Presenting the bill for its second reading in the House, Minister of Finance Winston Jordan explained that, apart from the fee waiver, the Bill seeks to increase “a set of fees on licences under this act which has not been done over the past 20 years or so.”

The fee waiver was one of the many measures outlined in the Government’s 2016 National Budget to bring relief to senior citizens.

Minister Jordan stated that, “in less than nine months, cumulatively pensions have increased by 38.7 percent…while the economy improves we are committed to sharing the wealth; we are trying to find other ways in bringing the good life to all of our citizens regardless of their age.”

Opposition member, Juan Edghill told the House that the Bill is a burden to the ‘already burdened’ and that the Government should reconsider its action to increase fees.

Meanwhile, opposition member Anil Nandlall, said the PPP/C Opposition will not go against any measure that will be of benefit to any section of the Guyanese populace, “but we cannot be myopic in our thinking.”

In response, Minister Jordan stated that the Government sees it as a necessity to have this measure implemented as it is one  from the 2016 National budget.  A report from GINA said the bill was then examined in committee, clause by clause, and passed with the Government’s amendments.