A modernised licensing authority was first introduced by the People’s National Movement (PNM) in 2008 at an estimated cost of $45 million but it later moved to $230 million under the People’s Partnership government.
However, after that announcement was made almost eight years ago by the PNM government, the “building” is expected to be occupied and the operations started in a few weeks.
In fact, yesterday, Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan told the Sunday Guardian there will be some activities at the Caroni facility by February. He said the “building” will be operational although there was no Motor Vehicle Authority (MVA) Act.
Asked about the act, he said, “The Attorney General is tweaking the act. There are some changes they have to make to get it right. Meanwhile, we will be proclaiming some aspects of the act.
“What we are about to do is move the head office to the MVA building. That will be happen by the middle of February. There will be some activities taking place.
“It will just take time to have everything moved in and then we will start with the licensing of vehicles and inspecting vehicles by the end of February.”
Colm Imbert, who was then the minister of works and transport told the media at a post-Cabinet news briefing that it would have been called the Driver’s Permit and Motor Vehicle Licensing Authority but it was instead called the MVA when the People’s Partnership assumed office from 2010 to 2015.
Project went from PNM to PP to PNM
The PNM’s proposed site was in St Joseph, east of the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex.
According to the 2011 Budget statement, “Transforming the Licensing Authority is a top priority. We will establish a Motor Vehicle Authority using the knowledge, experience and best practices of Canada to completely transform the Licensing Division by adapting Canada’s Business Processes, Service Delivery method, layout of Facilities, Systems Software and Legislation to meet the needs of citizens.”
The PP’s proposal for the MVA was that it be established at the Southern Main Road, Frederick Settlement, Caroni.
State-owned company, the National Infrastructure Development Company Limited (Nidco) was responsible for the management of the transformation project.
Its corporate strategic plan for 2011-2015 stated the modernised MVA was intended to improve the way the Government delivers services to its citizens by utilising state-of-the- art technology and by providing significant improvements to accessibility and service delivery standards to its citizens.
It stated, “To enable effective delivery of MVA services to customers, MVA Centres are to be established at several locations throughout the country. Construction of the MVA Centres will be under taken using the Design- Build model, with works to begin in 2011/2012 financial year.” Item seven on Nidco’s programme projections for 2011-2015 listed the estimated cost for the establishment of the Driver’s and Vehicle Licensing Authority as $618,703,00, that also entailed cost for the construction of ten centres throughout the country.
In August 2015, when she was prime minister, Kamla Persad- Bissessar said then Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley was not telling the truth when he said the MVA building in Caroni cost the Government over $1 billion. She said it was around $230 million.
Cadiz: ‘I am happy’
Former transport minister Stephen Cadiz said he was happy that the building will soon become operational.
He said, “It is going to change the way in which business is done in Trinidad as far as vehicles are concerned. It is going to assist the police greatly in the issue of motor car stealing and all of that.”
However, he said for the Licensing Authority to work properly, the act was needed.
“Just moving Wrightson Road into Caroni is not going to do it. It is not going to change anything. The real change will come with the act.”
Asked about the cost, he said the building came within the budgeted price and there were no cost overruns. He said it would have been around $230 million.
Cadiz said, “The public will be happy to finally have a place that works.”