Call to watch out for sacked inspectors

 By DELLYANNE ILAI  

THE land transport division of the Department of Transport is calling on  police to check road inspectors charging motorists as some might  be among the 60 staff already laid off.

The former casuals employed by the Department of Transport were said to be in possession of department uniforms and could be setting up illegal road blocks to solicit money from motorists aside from fines from traffic infringement notices, assistant secretary, Nelson Lari said. 

Lari told The National last week that more than 40 were former casual employees from the land transport division and another 20 from the National Road Safety Council. 

They were stood down and some still had uniforms which they could easily use to set up illegal road blocks. 

Lari said the suspect check points used by these former employees were at Baruni, Six Mile, Nine mile, Laloki and even along the Magi and Hiritano Highways. 

Lari was referring to a call by Assistant Police Commissioner Jerry Frank on traffic officials not to demand money from motorist s after issuing the traffic infringement notice (TIN). 

“Some of these staff laid off following the 2015 South Pacific Games were believed to be illegally setting up road blocks while a few were  even witnessed by the public,”  he said.

“We will not tolerate such officials and it is an illegal action and a disgrace. 

“Those 40 officials from LTD were laid off due to financial issues and the other 20 due to corrupt practices like receiving bribes as confirmed by NRSC.”