The amended Road Traffic Act is discriminatory against minibus and ZR operators, says advocacy group Fairness in Action.
Committee member Judy Forde, who has a long connection with the public service vehicle (PSV) subsector, said two points in particular stood out to the group, namely section 69 (A) and 106 (A).
The former speaks to random alcohol and drug testing for drivers of articulated vehicles and public service vehicles while the latter outlines a three-strike rule where a PSV driver who is convicted of three traffic offences will incur the suspension of the vehicle permit for six months.
“These are serious flaws in the legislation from a selectivity aspect, given the true targets, which are PSV drivers – to wit minibus and route taxi drivers. This does not reflect good governance, given that law should be applied equally and not only to a few.
“The law, especially criminal law, is for all and not a few and should be of general and not specific application. We say that it is wrong and unconstitutional that these new laws should apply only to a section of the driving population. These amendments smack of discrimination against a section of the drivers and owners who operate on the roads in this island,” she said. (CA)
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