Dear Editor,
I recently read in one of the daily newspapers two statements attributed to the Traffic Officer (Traffic Chief) of the Guyana Police Force, Senior Superintendent Mahendra Singh. The Traffic Officer is reported to have said that 237 drivers were successfully prosecuted out of a total of 510. He is also reported to have “highlighted that the fines for driving under the influence (DUI) ranges (sic) from $30,000 to $200,000”.
Editor I find the last statement to be very surprising.
I recall that the Motor Vehicle and Road Traffic Act, Chapter 51:02 was amended in 2022. The amendments were published in the Official Gazette of Tuesday 15th November, 2022. Section (5) of the amended Act states that the penalty for the offence of driving under the influence of drink or drug has been increased to not less than $200,000, or imprisonment for twenty-four months for a first offender. For a second or subsequent conviction the fine was increased to not less than $300,000, and imprisonment.
The offence of Motor Manslaughter was also created at the same time.
Can the Traffic Officer state whether or not the amendments contained in the Motor Vehicle and Road Traffic (Amendment) Act 2022 are in force? More specifically, what is the current minimum fine for someone convicted of driving under the influence of drink or drug?
Yours truly,
Paul Slowe CCH, DSM, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Retired). Former Chairman of the Police Service Commission