Licensing Taxi: ICAC Investigation in NTA
Asraf Ramdin, General Secretary of the General Taxi Owners' Union (GTOU), filed a complaint ICAC against the NTA, about two cases of taxi licensing. The investigating agency has already recovered documents NTA and ordered the institution to sealed the two vehicles, the last time the survey.
According to the Road Traffic Act (RDA), any person who obtains a license to operate a taxi, in a first time, six months to find a vehicle: "(...) Failure to make use of this licence for a period of more than six months without any reason may entail its revocation" However, the person may apply for two periods of three months each on a humanitarian basis. After that, the license automatically jumps.
Asraf Ramdin believes that in both cases it was reported to the ICAC, January 23, in the presence of his lawyer Rama Valayden, the regulation has not been respected. "There is a policy of two weights, two measures at the NTA. For example, the president of the Association of Taxi malérés had had his license revoked because he did not meet the deadlines. Its referral requests were rejected. In the two cases I mentioned, the NTA has given many references available and permits. Why? "Asks he.
Nine times obtained
The first case concerns a Service Vehicle Permit License (pSVL) with the reference 26745 / C-based Poste-de-Flacq. In official correspondence to Ashraf Ramdin, signed by Mrs. N. Chintaram, we see that the demand for a pSVL was made March 3, 1987 and the license was never revoked by the NTA. "The licensee HAS Requested the NTA to Consider Application for his delays on nine different occasions for implementation / renewal of his license," says the organsime to a question from counsel for Ashraf Ramdin.
On 4 May 1993, a request for extension is approved May 25 It shall expire on 25 August 1993. On 23 September 1993, the holder of the patent is a new application for five months. He gets it. January 29, 1997, he obtained a reprieve until 5 February 1997. In February 2006, a new period is offered until 12 July 2006. July 10, 2006, a new request for referral of four months is approved by the NTA. The deadline expires on 12 November 2006, but November 2, 2006, he obtained a new deadline, due to expire on 12 January 2007. Finally, on 3 April 2007, he won another until 30 April 2007.
NTA warns, April 18, 2012, the licensee that he be given "a final delay of 3 months to renew his license ... the license failing Which Shall be regarded as lapsed and HAVING Shall not be year of construction (see inset) . '
Legal Notice
The other case concerns a license bearing the reference 32571 / C. The request was made on 2 August 1991 and it was rejected on 20 August 1993. "By letter dated 20th December 2005 (note: No 32571 / C) made a request for a delay to renew the license. Again by letters dated 26 May 2006 and 02 June 2009, another appeal is made to the Authority for further Top extension of delay "can be read. NTA said to have sought legal advice prosecutors. A delay is then offered 27 August 2010. It was to expire on 31 December 2010.
Asraf to Ramdin, "there is a contradiction" in both cases. "I will file a complaint with the Equal Opportunities Commission, which has already initiated an investigation into the NTA. The documents I submit it will help, "he says.
The minutes for the case 26745 / C
In a letter to the owner of the patent 26745 / C, the NTA reported that this is the last time: " By letter dated 06 April 2007 applicant was informed that the authority has decided to grant him a delay of one month by 30 April 2007 at latest to renew his taxi licence, failing which it would be considered as having lapsed. No further request for extension of delay shall be entertained. In case of any request for a delay, no reply shall be made.”
So, on April 30 was the deadline, as confirmed by the minutes of the NTA. But, according to the correspondence of the NTA, Mrs. Chintaram signed and dated 12 October 2012 addressed to Ashraf Ramdin, a further period of three months was granted on 18 April 2012.
