Government Backbencher Neil Rowe is urging Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley to “relook” the crackdown against dark-tinted windows on vehicles.
He made the call recently as the members of the House of Assembly approved an amendment to the Road Traffic Act to enable such a policy.
The Member of Parliament for St Michael North West said he believed the laws against dark tint on cars and other vehicles “will place additional burden on the existing traffic department and the Barbados Police Service is already limited with manpower”.
“I beg the good, Honourable Prime Minister to relook this policy,” he told the Chamber.
However, as he wrapped up dabate on the amendment, Attorney General Dale Marshall stressed that “this amendment was requested by the Police Service”.
“This was not something that the executive dreamt up, the police have asked for this and therefore it must be a matter that is of some importance to them,” he said.
Rowe, the former Deputy Speaker of the House, said countries like Argentina had strict regulations against tint on vehicles but made it clear that “I am of a firm belief that this fair land of ours, Barbados, should not follow suit by imposing such regulations on the people of Barbados.
“Window tinting is a popular automotive modification that enhances privacy, reduces glare and provides the UV (ultraviolet) protection. Window tinting also protects the vehicle interior, whether it be the dashboard or leather seats, depending on what kind of upholstery that vehicle has,” Rowe said.
“UV protection involves minimising exposure to harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun, which can lead to sunburns, premature ageing and increased risk of skin cancer.
“You can have 25 per cent of tint on your front windows and 20 per cent of tint on your back windows and the upholstery in your vehicle is fully black, and you can have all of your windows up and no tint don’t have to be on your front windshield and your front windshield can appear dark. These are things that I experienced already.
“Some vehicles are manufactured with built-in tint into the windshields and the windows of these vehicles. So, how do we as a Government plan to control the importation of vehicles that are already tinted with 15 per cent of tint or 20 per cent of tint into this country?”
His view was that the “Barbados Police Service . . . should not be consumed by tint on vehicles when the said Barbados Police Service knows who the real criminals are in this country”.
Rowe also suggested that “this situation will cause some police officers who I know for a fact could create or cause harassment to some people who they feel like probably stopping on the road.
“This Government should be strengthening and seeking to compete the implementation of the Electronic Vehicular Registration System across Barbados. This Government should be strengthening and seeking to tighten down on false number plates and tightening down on registration of licence manufacturers across this country.” he suggested.
