Report of LTA probe out tomorrow: Maharaj

Findings on the alleged corrupt practices in obtaining a driving licence are expected to be submitted to the Land Transport Authority management board by the end of this week. LTA board chairman Vijay Maharaj said yesterday the issue was a serious case and he expected to receive a report on the matter by tomorrow. Operations manager Faiyum Ali confirmed that an internal audit team had been assigned to carry out investigations on alleged corrupt practises. Mr Maharaj said it was common knowledge that if a person doesn’t have the required qualification to run a driving school than obviously they shouldn’t be given a licence. Mr Maharaj said he was concerned with the number of offences caused by young drivers. He said information had been compiled and an assessment would be carried out. “We will bring this matter up and a meeting is going to be held with the management sometimes this week on Thursday where we will take the matter further, people had been called in who had made similar kind of complaints in the past,” Mr Maharaj said. He said the authority had been working hard to eradicate corruption. Mr Maharaj said those giving the bribe have the same responsibility to those who receive it. “Often we know that these things are done secretly and only when investigations are done than things are brought to light or a whistle blower comes up with the information and it is with those information that we can act,” he said. Mr Maharaj said they had terminated a number of their officers in the past for such corrupt practices.

He said there were always 2 to 3 actors in a play. “People who want the driving license, than the middle man which is driving school and corrupt LTA officers.

“We trying to get to the bottom of this, not only corrupted driving examiners but also for those that offer bribes, under the criminal justice system that we have they are also guilty in doing what they are doing in entertaining this,” Mr Maharaj said.