The House of Representatives will resume its sitting in the parliament chamber this morning to continue its discussions on a wide range of legislative measures being introduced by the government.
Among them is the Vehicles and Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill, 2025, through which the government is seeking to raise the licence fees that motor vehicle owners pay annually.
Transportation Minister, Charles Fernandez will introduce the amendment in the House during the sitting.
There has been much public discussion on the issue of the pending increase in licence fees and the government has responded to the concerns expressed by members of the public by adjusting the fee structure from what was initially announced.
According to Prime Minister Gaston Browne the measure going to parliament will propose an increase of $100.00 across the board for motor cars (sedans/compacts), but Sports Utility Vehicles (SUV’s), commercial vehicles and heavy-duty equipment will pay a 40 percent increase. PM Browne said there will be some carve-outs; for taxis and buses, hearses, ambulances and tractors.
When parliament met last Thursday, several individuals associated with the opposition United Progressive Party (UPP) staged a picket in the area outside of the parliament building. The picket was to protest the planned increases in licence fees.
Despite this however, the prime minister observed that there has generally been an acceptance by members of the public of the need to increase the fees, particularly as the monies raised will be dedicated to a dire need in the country; the universal agreement that the country’s road network is in need of urgent upgrades.
“The people have been embracing the increase, recognizing that barring an adjustment that was made for SUV’s in 2005, there has no increase in licence fees in the country and that an increase has been long overdue even if we did not have a ‘noble purpose’. In this instance, we do have a noble purpose; to service the loan that we will secure to refurbish the nation’s roads,” he stated.
PM Browne also reiterated that measures will be put in place both by the lending institutions (ACB Caribbean and the Eastern Caribbean Amalgamated Bank) and the Ministry of Works to ensure that the funds go towards the purpose for which they were intended.
“No one should worry about the issue of accountability as systems will be put in place to ensure that this happens,” he assured.
