It is simply unacceptable in a Country
that claims to have good Policing and Security measures to prevent terrorism
and the like, to permit this OPEN PAPERS system, where a vehicle is not
properly registered to the owner, or at least via a leasing company to the
lessee who could then be identified as the person in whose charge the vehicle
is operated.
In Countries such as the UK, an
automatic speeding ticket is generated along with a picture of the car, license
and time and place and speed at which the vehicle was going, for the operator to
pay the fine or face the consequences. It is up to the owner to determine who
was at the wheel at the time, and ensure the fine was paid, otherwise the owners
own License will have the requisite points added to it, and affect not only his
insurance premium in future, but also his ability to drive if the number of
points rises goes over a number.
When a news item such as that in the link
above is highlighted, there is NO follow-up, to see how that issue can be
resolved, as there is NO ONE willing to take responsibility. In this case it is
up to the IGP to make representations to the Transport Minister that he is
unable to prosecute errant motorists caught on CCTV, as ownership of the said
vehicle cannot be established with any certainty.
The Minister should then take the
necessary steps to resolve this matter, using his officers, and proceed with a
change in either the law, or in the insistence by the DMV to record the
operator of each vehicle at the time any vehicle is licensed annually as that
is the most practical point at which the latest information can be updated as
to owner/operator of the vehicle.
There is simply NO POINT wasting time
putting up CCTVs if one cannot use them for the purposes intended. This goes to
the heart of the Sri Lankan disease, namely nothing is done to achieve an
objective, that will eventually benefit the people in Sri Lanka. Therein we
have lost the plot, and the whole game of Government.
It appears to me that NO ONE is
suggesting a prompt solution to this problem and the loser is the general
public, whose interests, both Law Enforcement and Elected Officials have
pledged to serve!!
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