May I kindly bring to the cognizance of the Commissioner of Police and the Registrar, Petitions Board, shortcomings that need to be addressed in this country of ours where it comes to the system of giving traffic offences and the redress given at regional tribunal sittings.
On the 24 December of last year I found a traffic office notice attached to the wiper windscreen of my car for illegal parking. This was placed by a policeman who was ignorant of the fact that the place has no yellow markings or no parking signs. The ticket was a clear case of a mistake by this policeman. But the consequences of his mistake cascaded on me.
I contested this notice by writing the very next day to the Registrar Petitions Board as indicated on the back of the notice and after nearly two months without receiving at least an acknowledgement, I phoned the Petitions Board to ask what happened to my letter and was told that I would be sent the acknowledgement. I received this with the date of the sitting and was told to wait for the decision by the board which never came.
So I attended the regional tribunal and by an oversight I forgot to wear tie and jacket and was told to go back home and change, which I did. I returned and waited in line with others, when a foreigner came dressed in a tracksuit. He said he did not know that he was to wear jacket and tie. To my great amazement and disbelief he was offered a tie and jacket. I protested and told the lady that her female colleague sent me back home because I was not wearing tie and jacket and questioned, “Perhaps because he is a foreigner you show more grace.”
The sitting was at 1pm and it was not until nearly 2pm that the tribunal was ready to commence. I was the first to enter for the hearing and was told that on the basis on my affidavit, I was to be exonerated of the traffic fine. Still the Chairman insisted that if another ticket was given for the same offence in the same place, it would still count as a contravention. Incredible!
So, after suffering injustice after another and delays and all the costs of time and money consumption, writing letters, phone calls and petrol, the spot where it is legal to park a car still remains illegal for all intents and purposes of the tribunal.
No effort from the tribunal to co-ordinate with the police and alert the police officer who stuck the ticket, not to do it again. I was told not to do it again when it is perfectly legal to park in that spot. No empathy and no apologies. Nothing!
Surely, a citizen of this country deserves better!
Anthony Zarb Dimech
St Julian’s