GREAT BAY--Member of Parliament Francisco Lacroes has submitted a second motion on Wednesday calling for stronger registration, identification, ownership and accountability measures for scooters, motorbikes and similar motorized vehicles, arguing that enforcement on the roads must be supported by better controls from the point vehicles enter the country and are sold.
Lacroes presented the motion in Parliament against the backdrop of recurring concerns about reckless riding, road safety and serious accidents involving motorbikes and scooters. He said the issue has confronted successive governments for years, with riders repeatedly asking for a designated space where they can ride while authorities continue searching for ways to address unsafe behavior on public roads.
The MP said the consequences have at times been tragic, with lives lost in traffic accidents. Reflecting on his own younger years, Lacroes acknowledged that he once rode motorbikes and four-wheelers at dangerous speeds without fully considering the risks to himself or other road users. With age, he said, he now views the issue differently and believes stronger measures are necessary.
Lacroes said simply speaking to riders about responsible behavior has not been enough and argued that St. Maarten must find more effective ways to regulate and control the use of these vehicles. He pointed to differences in rider behavior when crossing between jurisdictions, including instances where riders put on helmets when entering areas where they expect stricter enforcement and remove them when they believe enforcement will be less stringent.
He described this as evidence that enforcement can influence behavior when road users understand that rules will be applied. During the previous year’s budget debate, Lacroes called on the Minister of Justice for increased controls, and he credited the Ministry and the Police Force of St. Maarten, KPSM, for subsequent enforcement operations that resulted in large numbers of motorbikes being taken off the road for violations such as lack of insurance, registration or number plates.
However, Lacroes said enforcement after a motorbike is already on the road addresses only part of the problem. He argued that authorities can confiscate numerous illegal or non-compliant motorbikes, only for more to appear shortly afterward if insufficient controls exist over how they are imported, sold, registered and transferred to owners.
The motion therefore focuses on strengthening accountability throughout the entire process, from importation and sale to registration, transfer of ownership and eventual operation on public roads.
Lacroes drew a comparison with the purchase of other motor vehicles, where buyers are generally required to meet certain conditions before legally operating them on the road. He said similar attention should be given to scooters, motorbikes and related vehicles, including identifying who purchases them and ensuring that applicable legal requirements are met.
The motion states that the growing number of scooters, motorbikes and similar motor vehicles operating on public roads has increased the importance of effective traffic management, road safety and regulatory oversight. It further recognizes that accidents involving these vehicles continue to result in serious injuries and fatalities.
It emphasizes that proper identification and ownership records are important not only for road safety, but also for law enforcement, accident investigations and the protection of property rights. Reliable records, according to the motion, would assist authorities in identifying and tracing vehicles involved in traffic violations, accidents and other unlawful activities.
The motion also highlights continuing concerns regarding compliance with registration, licensing, insurance and roadworthiness requirements. Lacroes believes strengthening accountability throughout the importation, sale, registration and transfer-of-ownership process would encourage more responsible ownership and improve regulatory compliance.
Through the motion, Parliament is being asked to affirm the importance of strengthening the registration, identification and accountability framework applicable to scooters, motorbikes and similar motorized vehicles. This includes improving authorities’ ability to reliably link individual vehicles to their registered owners through accurate ownership and identification records.
The motion also calls for stronger accountability requirements for dealers, importers and other sellers. Lacroes wants appropriate records maintained concerning vehicle sales, transfers of ownership and vehicle identification information, creating a clearer trail from the point a vehicle enters the market to the person who ultimately owns it.
Additionally, the motion calls for stricter compliance with existing registration, licensing, insurance, inspection and roadworthiness requirements.
Government is being requested to examine existing procedures governing the importation, sale, registration and operation of scooters, motorbikes and similar motorized vehicles and, where appropriate, introduce measures to strengthen accountability, traceability and enforcement.
Lacroes also wants government to explore coordination with authorities on the French side where relevant, particularly as motorbikes and scooters can move between both sides of the island.
The motion further requests that government keep Parliament informed about actions taken to address the concerns identified and any measures introduced as a result.
For Lacroes, the objective is ultimately road safety. He said that if stronger controls, improved records and greater accountability can contribute to saving even one life, the effort would have served its purpose.
The motion was signed by Lacroes and is to be forwarded to the Government of St. Maarten for consideration. He described both motions submitted during the budget debate as relatively straightforward proposals that could have a meaningful effect on how the country addresses persistent problems.
