By Sue-Ann Wayow
MINISTER of Transport and Civil Aviation Eli Zakour is expected to sign an Order cancelling out the majority of the demerit point system soon.
The cancelling of the system was promised by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar at her first post Cabinet media briefing on May 8.
The cancellation of the system raised debate with President Christine Kangaloo and the Opposition raising concerns about measures for reduction in road traffic incidents, while many members of the public praised the move.
Zakour, speaking at Thursday’s post- Cabinet media briefing at the Red House, further explained that while the majority of the demerit points would be discarded, it would remain in effect for six offences labelled as criminal offences.
He said under the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act 58:50, there were currently 99 violations or offences with 69 carrying demerit points.
Of the 69, six were deemed criminal offences.
“Cabinet has approved the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Amendment to the Ninth Schedule Order 2025,” he said.
Once the Order was signed by him, the Ninth Schedule of the Road Traffic Act will be amended by deleting the demerit points for all violations except for items 6, and 23 through 27.
@azpnews.com Minister of Transport to sign order to scrap demerit system. Video: Prior Beharry @ttgovcomms @uncofficialtiktok @uncnationalyoutharm @uncandproud #cabinet #pressconference #transportministry #demeritpoints #signedorder
“The six criminal offences, the demerit points will remain,” Zakour said.
These were:
1. Driving while disqualified from holding or obtaining a driving permit – 14 demerit points
2. Driving while under the influence of drug – nine demerit points
3. Driving or being in charge of a vehicle with blood alcohol level exceeding the limit – nine demerit points
4. Failure to provide a specimen of breath or blood – 14 demerit points
5. Failure to submit breath analysis – 14 demerit points
6. Careless driving – six demerit points
Zakour announced, “I am signing the Order shortly.”
The criminal offences also do not have a fixed penalty fine attached to them.
When asked if persons charged previously under that law, if they would still continue to remain compliant to that law, Zakour responded those matters were still in discussion and he would prefer to refrain from commenting further on that issue.
The Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act was amended in 2017, and brought the Judiciary, representatives of the Ministry of Works and Transport, the Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Legal Affairs, the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service, TTPost and other stakeholders into a collaborative working relationship, to implement a new traffic system.
The Demerit Points System – utilised to monitor, track and improve the road behaviour of drivers, was conceived and implemented as a part of that transformative traffic system formally introduced to the public in May 2020.
