Drivers claim foul play at traffic registry

By YVONNE HAIP
TWO drivers in Mt Hagen have asked police to investigate shady transactions they said they witnessed at the traffic registry office.
The office processes renewal of licences for drivers in Western Highlands.
Driver Nicholas Rumints, who works with Super Value Stores in Mt Hagen, said he visited the traffic office on Dec 28 to have his licence renewed.
Instead of being charged K63, he was told to pay K150 by the officer serving him. No official receipt was issued to him, he said.
He checked again on Thursday but was told it was not ready. On Friday, the office was closed.
He again checked last week but was told the officer who served him was still on holidays.
He has lodged a complaint with police at Mt Hagen.
Driver Thomas Ten claims the overcharging of drivers had been the norm at the traffic office. He said last year, some drivers complained that officers collected fees but failed to process the licences.
Rumints also called on the officer-in-charge to look into the matter.
He said the police traffic unit was conducting roadblocks and booking drivers who could not produce their licences.
Attempts to get comments from relevant authorities were unsuccessful last week.
The traffic registry office used to be under the police traffic section but now comes under the provincial government.