Illegal driver’s licence holders given six weeks to surrender before names go public -Pres Ali
“We have to prosecute all parties involved”
Drivers who secured licences without passing the legally required exams are being given six weeks to surrender themselves and restart the process, or have their names published in the newspaper, President Dr. Irfaan Ali warned on Tuesday.
The Head of State issued the stern caution while addressing ranks of the Guyana Police Force during its Traditional Christmas Breakfast, noting that new technology-driven audits have exposed significant discrepancies in how some licences were issued.
Dr. Ali explained that government’s systems are now “highly integrated,” with post-audit mechanisms allowing agencies to trace every stage of the licensing process, from theoretical exam results to the practical test, and finally, the licence issued by the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA).
“So we can tell… all those who wrote the theoretical exam and passed… all those who got a practical certificate and then all those who actually got a license from GRA,” he said.
According to the President, that data has already revealed glaring irregularities.
He pointed to instances where 150 people passed the theory exam but 400 received practical test certificates, a mismatch he said makes it clear “something is wrong.”
Dr. Ali said investigators now have the full list of individuals who obtained practical exam papers despite failing to pass the theory test.
“We’re going to give those persons in the public domain six weeks to surrender themselves and go through back the process. Or after that, we’re going to publish all the names in the newspaper, suspend the license and prosecute them,” he declared.
The President stressed that accountability will extend to every party involved in any corrupt transaction.
“That is the only way we can beat this corruption. We have to prosecute all parties involved,” he told the gathering.
He revealed further that GRA issued more licences than the number of persons who legitimately passed both exams, an issue that has now been fully “triangulated” through the audit.
While celebrating the progress made in modernising service delivery, Dr. Ali emphasised that the government will not allow technology-enabled transparency to be undermined by those seeking shortcuts or bribes in public systems.
