Stay away from dirty tactics, association pleads with members
Minister Bala commends group for efforts to develop safe drivers.
The Fiji Driving Schools Association president, Deo Narayan, is urging members not to involve themselves in dirty tactics.
“We don’t know today who is observing our movements,” he said.
“So my message is clear. Do not be involved in corruption, we must make our students come out of a driving school as an inspiration to other drivers.”
He made the statements at the association’s annual general meeting yesterday. Minister for Local Government, Housing, Environment, Infrastructure and Transport, Parveen Bala attended.
Mr Bala said he believed that the commitment of the association provided a platform for sharing knowledge, ideas and experiences in planning and developing the service standards in the country.
“I must say that the responsibility of our driving school to develop safe drivers have developed over the years,” he said.
“It has now become more challenging due to the increase in vehicle population on our roads, new technologies that comes with the new generation vehicles and improvements on the road network. “According to LTA motor vehicle registration have increased in Fiji over the last few years with an average growth of nine per cent from 2015 to 2016.
“The total number of vehicles in Fiji as of December 2016 was 110763 with 72 per cent private vehicles, 16 per cent commercial vehicles and 10 per cent public service vehicles.
“The need for safe driving on our roads cannot be overstated.
“Our role as service providers is to produce safe drivers. Therefore, it is essential we collectively work together to address this concern.
“It’s not always the government, not only LTA’s business, or police. Police and LTA cannot be at all places at all times. You people play a major role for producing safe drivers.”
There are now 105 driving schools around the country – 49 located in the CentralEastern Division, 14 in the North and 44 in the West. Mr Bala emphasised that driving school operators should ensure that drivers abide by the laws concerning the proper use of our roads. Also the operation of driving schools shall not be based only on facilitating the provisions of formal driving qualification but more importantly on participation of national building. “We all have to play our part on national building.”
Issues raised during the meeting:
There were complaints about illegal driving school operations and cases where fines were paid and the issues were solved with the authorities.
Mr Bala said: “Paying fines is not an answer. We don’t believe in that. I will make sure Land Transport Authority see the seriousness of the case.
“It doesn’t mean that anybody will pay their fine and they will go away with it.” He said he would give LTA a week to investigate the illegal operators and give him a report.
Drivers’ instruction permit was given for three years and was reduced to one year for renewals. Mr Bala said he received a complaint on the matter before.
“The concern given to me was, if taxi owners are given 10 year permits, why can’t we be given the same?,” he said.
“You people are part of us. You supplement the Government’s vision in terms of giving the right direction to our learners.
“I will ask LTA to look into it why there was a reverse of one year. LTA will write to the associations stating the reasons and if I’m not happy with the reasons, then we will go back to those three years.”