05 March 2013

Vehicles with tinted windows targeted in crack-down on rorts and violence in transport industry

Mini-Bus, Dili. Image: ICTPD.NET
ETLJB 05 March 2013  - The police will conduct joint operations with the National Directorate of Land Transport targeting motor vehicles which have tinted windows in an effort to crack down on rorts and violence in the transport sector in East Timor. The owners of public vehicles such as buses and taxis will be fined US$30 under a Ministerial decree passed last year if they are found to have windows darkened by tinting material.

The joint operation is in response to complaints from demands from the public about such vehicles which have been involved in incidents where passengers are taken on long unwanted and unknown routes and locations or have been subjected to violence.

"Soon, we will coordinate with the National Directorate of Land Transport (NDTT) to hold check points and stop vehicles with tinted windows," said the National Traffic Unit Commander, Chief Inspector Antonio L.C. Soares at the PNTL HQ in Caicoli, Dili on Thursday 28 Feb. The Chief Inspector also said that the police operations would arrest and remove material darkening vehicle windows, and the drivers would be fined US$30 by theNDTT , which would have to be paid before they could retake possession of their vehicle for use.

He added that the operation will not only target taxis and microlets using darkened windows but will also target and fine those unregistered vehicles or unlicensed drivers so that everyone can start obeying the law. Source: Jornal Timor Post 28 February 2013. Edited by Warren L. Wright

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

No doubt a good thing. What about all the state vehicles with windows tinted? What about all vehicles with the actual windscreen tinted, especially highly reflective mirrored tinting (esp. Ministers' & MP's vehicles)? The majority of cars with so tinted windows have to drive 20KM at night, or not at all, since they literally cannot see anything out their windows (a great combination with cars and motorcycles that don't have any functional lights). What ministerial decree would this be based on? NDTT is not a ministry.

Editor said...

Very good point Anonymous. I suppose there might be an exception for state officials. Unfortunately, the article does not name the regulation but it should be noted that the NDTT does not have to be a ministry to be the enforcing agency for a ministerial regulation. Thanks for your comments. ETLJB Editor