00:00Motorists in Trinidad and Tobago received an update from Transport and Civil Aviation Minister Eliza Cour via the Senate about
00:08a system that has been a subject of debate in and outside of the Parliament.
00:12On January 16th, 2026, the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Amendment Bill for the introduction and implementation of fixed penalty
00:21warnings for specific traffic violations in the 9th schedule was passed in the other place and on January 20th, 2026
00:28was passed in its Honourable House.
00:30It was assented on January 29th, 2026 and I'm happy to report that the Act is going to be proclaimed
00:37on Monday, March 2nd, 2026.
00:40The Transport Minister told the Senate that efforts are underway for its immediate implementation.
00:47The Ministry also conducted meetings and training exercises with the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service, members of the Traffic Enforcement
00:53Centre Unit and the Licensing Authority.
00:56All stakeholders became well acquainted with the operation and the necessary functionality required to not only maintain the working of
01:04the U-turn system,
01:05but also in the event of a system issue or in the absence of a fixed penalty device.
01:10The Ministry has therefore printed over 300 physical fixed penalty warnings and Certificate of Compliance booklets to be distributed to
01:19the relevant locations across the nation.
01:21Minister Zakour said a sample of the forms contained in the booklets will be published in the Trinidad and Tobago
01:27Gazette,
01:27while public notices are to be published in the daily newspapers and on social media.
01:32Senator Faris Arawi later posed the question on behalf of the opposition.
01:38Would the Honourable Minister please indicate whether pending proclamation has indicated this wicked system of implementation of fines and penalties
01:49that were increased on the night of Christmas is still in effect?
01:55Mr. Mr. President, the increase in fines went into effect on January 1, 2026, and yes, they are still in
02:09effect, Mr. President.
02:11Earlier, the Transport Minister made clear exactly who would have the authority to issue the fixed penalty warnings, which the
02:18government insists are fair.
02:20Where a constable defined in the Motor Vehicle and Road Traffic Act to include a police officer, a transport officer,
02:29a traffic warden,
02:30and an estate constable employed under the Supplemental Police Act in a public body listed in the 8th schedule
02:36has reason to believe that any traffic violation specified in the proposed 11th schedule is being or has been committed,
02:43The constable shall issue a fixed penalty warning. In circumstances where the driver is present, the warning may be handed
02:51directly to the driver.
02:52The Transport Minister said where the driver is not present, the warning may be affixed to a visible part of
02:58the vehicle.
03:00Eighteen traffic violations are subject to fixed penalty warnings, which, once issued, could have a period of three or seven
03:07business days to be rectified to avoid them becoming fixed penalty notices.
03:12This is June Brown, TV6 News.
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