Department of Transport Says License Plates are Coming Soon

It’s been over a year since the Department of Transport experienced a shortage that halted the issuance of license plates and insurance stickers. The scarcity has been an inconvenience to Belizeans for several months, particularly those who are seeking to travel outside the country’s borders. As a result, some have taken to forging license plates in the absence of the plates issued by the Department of Transport. We spoke with Chief Transport Officer Leon Gentle to find out how much longer the public is expected to wait for the issue to be resolved. Here’s what he had to say.

 

Britney Gordon

“Can you speak to me a little bit about the issue going on right now about people making fraudulent license plates? How are we addressing that issue? What could have led to this?”

 

Leon Gentle, Chief Transport Officer

“Again, what could have led to it would have been the shortage of plates and stickers within the national transport system. The main reason for that is primarily because after taking over the position earlier this year, I decided that we should go through an audit to ensure that all of our information is as clear and as correct as possible. We’ve gone through that process. We are currently in the procurement process where we that, of course, takes another time to be able to complete, but we are near the end of it, and hopefully in the month of August, at least the first week in August, we should have a set of plates that we can start ensuring that we get back to its normal operations for.”

 

Britney Gordon

“So what can you say to deter people from making these fraudulent license plates? What are some of the dangers and risks of that for on their end as also for you guys?”

 

Leon Gentle

“It actually is a fraudulent act and of course being a fraudulent act it is also arrestable and so it’s important for the public to understand that just bear with the Department of Transport at least a little bit more patience for us to clarify that everything is up and running and smoothly and we should have the plates hopefully by the first week in August. So, I want to do encourage persons to not produce any of license plates or stickers and those who are actually producing it to the cease from doing so.”

 

Britney Gordon

“And you said the license plate you’re hoping for it to be by August. And what about the stickers?”

 

Leon Gentle

“Both are within the same timeline.”