National Transport Seeking to Usurp Authority of City Council

The Ministry of Transport is proposing big changes for Belize’s motorcycle riders. Starting January first, all motorcycle license holders will be required to complete a mandatory two-week training course, costing up to three hundred dollars. It’s part of a sweeping national safety reform announced by Transport Minister Doctor Louis Zabaneh. But the move is raising eyebrows among municipal governments, who say the new system sidelines their authority to license riders, a power they’ve held for decades. Here is Doctor Zabaneh on the proposed changes.

 

Dr. Louis Zabaneh, Minister of Transport

 “There’s gonna be a requirement that all motorcycle license holders must do a two-week course to become certified to ride a motorcycle, okay. So, we’re gonna be offering a two-year period for everybody to be able to go through that process and any new, of course, new applicant.  I believe that our CEO Chester Williams has been in the media and will continue to do so to ensure that our public is well informed about these changes that are coming on stream.”

 

CEO Williams met with members of different motorcycle clubs over the weekend. The ministry argues these measures will modernize road safety and reduce fatalities. However, municipal councils traditionally responsible for issuing motorcycle licenses say the national mandate effectively usurps their licensing authority, leaving them uncertain about their role in enforcement and possibly revenue collection. There are still so many questions to answer before this mandate comes into effect on January first.