Police Commissioner Urges Inspectors to Assist Diligently
The Commissioner of Police Brigadier-General Sitiveni Qiliho has urged 11 students who have graduated with a Professional Certificate in Vehicle Inspection to understand the significant role they play in road safety.
Officiating at the graduation at the Fiji National University (FNU) Samabula, College of Engineering, Science and Technology on Friday, the head of the Force said the role of vehicle inspectors is significant in Fiji’s road safety campaign. “Today you will walk out of your lecture rooms with a certificate that recognises you as a professional, giving you the authority to inspect vehicles and it is imperative that you exercise your authority wisely. “Keep in mind that every time someone offers you an option to look the other way, you are essentially gambling with the life of a person and other innocent road users,” Brigadier-General Qiliho said.
The Professional Vehicle Inspection Program (PVIP) was attended by qualified automotive tradesmen to make them understand the significance of the task of vehicle inspection and the requirements of the law.
“Treat every inspection as a matter of life and death because essentially this is why people bring their vehicles to be inspected to know whether or not it is road worthy and mechanically sound,” he said. The Commissioner added, “We often talk about road safety being everyone’s responsibility and this is where you can assist by ensuring that only road worthy vehicles are allowed on our roads”.
“To date, 54 lives have been lost on our roads compared to 47 for the same period last year and by assuring us that you will perform your duties honestly and professionally, we can at least have some sense of comfort that we will always have vehicles that are mechanically sound operating on Fiji’s roads”
On the strength of the Certificate and upon submission to the Land Transport Authority the person will be awarded with a Vehicle Inspection Permit.