CHARLESTOWN, Nevis – IN a case which seems to be linked to recent allegations of some members of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force are engaged in the illegal sale of driver’s licences, a woman on Nevis was recently charged for issuing a false document to obtain a driver’s licence.
According to a police communiqué, Anthea Griffin of Cherry Gardens was arrested and charged for issuing a false document purporting to be a Certificate of Competency for the purpose of obtaining a driver’s licence, knowing it to be false.
She was granted bail in the sum of $10,000 and had to appear in the Charlestown Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday (Jun. 6); however, no word has so far been heard on the outcome of the case.
From all indicators, this particular matter seems to be linked to the allegations that had circulated via social media and which were said to be occurring on both islands of the Federation, as announced last week by Head of the Traffic Department, Inspector Carl Caines.
Speaking Monday (May 29) during the weekly ‘Traffic Talk’, programme on WINN FM’s Breakfast Show, Inspector Caines had announced that the Police Force had launched an investigation to find out if there is any truth in officers being involved in the illegal sale of driver’s licences.
He told the host and listeners to the programme that senior officers of the Force were in receipt of the message but he had believed 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.”
Based on Inspector Caines’ explanation, the case involving Anthea Griffin definitely indicates that the Certificate of Competency was not given to her by an officer in the Traffic Department who is authorised to issue that document.
Therefore, the perplexing questions are: “Who gave her the Certificate of Competency? Was it an officer who has retired from the Force, a member who is not within the Traffic Department, or was it a member who has retired? And, whose signature was affixed to the Certificate of Competency?
At press time, SKNVibes was unable to get a comment on this matter from the Traffic Chief, as he was in attendance at the Traffic Court in Basseterre.
