The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has recommended an increase in fines as they are not generally deterring poor driver behavior including speeding on our roads.

This was reflected in the Fiscal Review Committee report that was released by the Ministry of Finance yesterday.

The committee was tasked to examine the overall setting of the government’s fiscal policy and make recommendations on how the Government can rebalance its revenue and spending, find avenues for economic growth and ensure that Government can fiscally sustain itself over the next decade.

It was chaired by Suva-based lawyer Richard Naidu.

The report reflected important elements from LTA’s presentation which included: 

• Fines must be increased as they are not generally deterring poor driver behaviour, including speeding. This would (incidentally) increase revenue
• A number of LTA’s fees for services – including for vehicle inspections and PSV permits – have not been increased for 20 years and are now heavily discounted compared to the cost of providing the service
• Budgetary and funding constraints, including the round of “fiscal consolidation” have compromised a number of its core functions, particularly regulatory monitoring and enforcement. For example, Government no longer funds overtime payments for LTA personnel.

As a result, LTA believes that overloaded trucks operate largely by night in the knowledge that they will not be subject to weighbridge inspections, with consequent damage to roads and risks to vehicle fitness.

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