Crackdown on PMVs timely

IT is good to read the statement by the National Capital District traffic commander, Chief Insp Michael Kanguma, in The National that the Transport Department and the National Capital District traffic office will crack down on PMVs that are not roadworthy.
It is at least a start. For sure, the move was prompted by the recent road accidents, not only in Port Moresby but throughout the country, which had claimed several lives.
It has taken a long time in coming, but it is good that someone had finally woken up to the dangers posed by many of the PMVs operating in the city and is going to act on it.
Unroadworthy vehicles, let alone our PMVs, would never be allowed on the road in most countries.
I am sure however, that everyone will agree that this crackdown should be extended to other vehicles as well.
After all, it is not only PMVs that cause accidents. Many other vehicles are also potential killers.
Instead of a back windscreen, we often see a sheet of plastic or canvas, thereby blocking the view of the driver.
It is also very common to see some of the safety lights broken or bumpers held up by strings.
How do these vehicles get past the roadblocks?
Instead of only checking for safety stickers and the likes, why don’t those officers, who man roadblocks, check the vehicles for their roadworthiness.
When some of these officers see an expatriate behind the wheel, the checks are often more thorough.
The officers would ask the driver to switch on all the lights to ensure that they are in order.
I have never seen this done with the Papua New Guinean driver.
The reason for this is obvious.

Driver,
Port Moresby