NO BREATH TEST UNTILL CARNIVALBy NEWSDAY REPORTER Wednesday, December 2 2009
DESPITE Works and Transport Minister Colm Imbert’s announcement on November 12 that the Breathalyser had become law and would be implemented from November 30, a senior policeman yesterday confirmed the test used to check a driver’s blood/alcohol level has not yet been implemented because police are still being trained to use the breathalyser.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Maurice Piggott yesterday announced that the police service intends on rolling out the breathalyser examination for the upcoming Carnival Season and not for Christmas as Imbert initially announced.
Piggott was part of a group of senior officers, headed by Acting Police Commissioner James Philbert who appeared before the Joint Select Committee (JSC) of Parliament which met on Municipalities and Service Commissions, at the Red House.
JSC member, UNC Senator Adesh Nanan, asked whether the Police Service highway patrol was ready for implementation of the roadside breathalyser test to drivers suspected of driving while under the influence of alcohol. Piggott replied by saying while the test is highly anticipated officers still require training.
“There are two issues to be treated with. There is a test to be applied on the field, which is the presumptive test or the field test which is relatively easy to train people with. Training can take place within a couple of days and spread across the island. The critical test, the success of this initiative has to do with the evidentiary test, which has to be applied at the station or any other designated area.
That has to be the test used for evidence in court. These people must be trained at a particular level to the satisfaction of the minister (National Security Minister, Martin Joseph), who has to certify them or else it will not be recognised and all our efforts will come to nought,” Piggott explained.
At a post-Cabinet media briefing last month, Colm Imbert, announced that the breathalyser test will be “out in force” by November 30, after the passing of the breathalyser act.
“I anticipate we should see activity starting for Carnival and this is not a caution to persons who intend to imbibe for the (Christmas) season, but a reasonable time frame to look at,” Piggott said.
JSC member, Independent Senator Professor Ramesh Deosaran, asked why officers were not being trained to administer the breathalyser test so that when the Act was passed, testing could have begin immediately. Philbert replied that officers have been receiving training in implementing the test for some time but there was need for additional training. The police service, he added, is also seeking to implement a public awareness campaign along with the introduction of testing in an effort to change drinking and driving habits.
“It is not to catch people drunk. Rather than struggle to catch you on the highway, we prefer that people are responsible and we are trying to prevent people from consuming alcohol at all, especially when driving. However we are going to find ourselves everywhere it is necessary to be able to deal with drunken driving,” he said.
When contacted, Kirk Waithe, Chairman of social pressure group, Arrive Alive, which has been lobbying for the introduction of the test in an effort to curb the number of road fatalities that occur due to drunk driving, said he could not comment on Piggott’s announcement of the breathalyser being put on hold until Carnival because he was not present when the statement was made.
