Senior cop hoping for breathalyser in 2005

ASSISTANT Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Nazamul Hosein yesterday expressed his hope that breathalyser legislation would be enacted “very quickly” in the new year.  Reflecting on the carnage on the nation’s roads over the past year, Hosein told Newsday he hoped that the crucial piece of legislation would come before Parliament very soon.

Meanwhile, officials at the Ministry of Works and Transport indicated that the breathalyser legislation is currently being prepareded, and the Office of the Attorney General is providing assistance in the exercise. The officials said there were some “hiccups” in the legislation and these are now being eliminated. However, they were unable to say exactly when it would be brought to Parliament. Works and Transport Minister Franklin Khan previously said alcohol and speed were the two major contributors to road accidents in TT. He said Government would be placing priority on the passage of breathalyser legislation in Parliament.

Khan added that the legislation required a special majority for passage, and he was optimistic that the Opposition would support it. The minister also said cameras (installed at intersections) and radar guns for the police, would be additional options that are considered as part of efforts to reduce carnage on the nation’s roads.