BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – FALSE information (tagged worldwide as “Fake News”) and even those that contain truth, have a way of being amplified when passed from one person to another.
This logic is similar to a pebble rolling from atop a wet, clay-surfaced mountain that when it reaches its final destination becomes a boulder.
That is to say, in the advent of social media, where one has access to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and a number of other free social networking micro-blogging services (not to forget the Smartphones), many people are using them to not only privately or publicly share pictures and videos, but also for the spreading of false information.
A case in point is that of missing 17-year-old Basseterre High School student, Leanna Napoleon, on whom many had been disseminating speculations, gossips and other fallacious information via social media, which had reportedly frustrated the efforts of the police in their investigations.
The most recent posting on social media, which is also being circulated via WhatsApp, is the allegation of some members of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force on both islands having been engaged in the illegal sale of driver’s licences.
Speaking Monday (May 29) during the weekly ‘Traffic Talk, programme on WINN FM’s Breakfast Show, head of the Traffic Department, Inspector Carl Caines had announced that the Police Force had launched an investigation to find out if there is any truth in what is being pedalled.
Caines told the host and listeners to the programme that senior officers of the Force were in receipt of the message but he believes it to be a hoax.
“A message was sent and the Commissioner of Police and other officers would have received that message to say basically that persons are selling licences. That was the message I got and, of course, we are investigating that matter and the chips will fall where they may. We are investigating the matter but I don’t want to believe it. I believe it’s a hoax.”
He also stated that the information being circulated was not issued by the Traffic Department and explained the laid down procedure for one obtaining a valid driver’s licence.
“No money whatsoever should be passed or accepted for a driver’s licence. If that is the case, it is illegal, it is wrong. First you must apply to do the written test. You go to the Police Training School or in Charlestown, the high school in Charlestown, and you sit a written test.”
Caines noted that if an officer wants to help an individual who is incapable of reading and understanding the questions, he or she would point out to the person what the question is about and ask if A or B should be the answer.
He however declared that if “any money is passed” during that process, “that is illegal and something is wrong”.
In continuation of the process, Inspector Caines said: “After you have passed that written test and, of course, you go on the road and you drive and the police is satisfied with your driving, then you are issued with a competency form and you go to Inland Revenue.”
The Traffic Chief however informed that only those officers who have been authorised by the Commissioner of Police could issue an individual with a competency form.
“So, somebody who worked in the Traffic Department less than 10 years ago and they are no longer in Traffic, they cannot give you a certification because they are not authorised; they are out of the Department. So, only persons who are presently stationed at that Department, be it in Nevis or St. Kitts, can give you that authorisation.”
According to statistics gleaned from the police, there were 846 traffic accidents, including one fatality in 2016; 550 on St. Kitts and 296 on Nevis. For this year, as of today (Mar 31), 417 were recorded, including three fatalities; 258 on St. Kitts and 159 on Nevis.
Should there be truth in the allegation, then it begs the questions: “What percentage of traffic accidents over those periods was incurred by individuals who were engaged in the illegal sale and purchase of driver’s licences?”
