No Checkpoints Due To Error By BPS With Notice

September 11, 2018

[Updated] Due to “an administrative error by the BPS, regarding the publication of the road sobriety checkpoint notice,” road sobriety checkpoints will not be conducted this weekend, the police have confirmed, adding that they “will continue to actively address drinking and driving on the roads this weekend using existing legislation.”

Acting Deputy Commissioner of Police Martin Weekes said, “The Bermuda Police Service [BPS] advises that due to an administrative error by the BPS, regarding the publication of the road sobriety checkpoint notice, the road sobriety checkpoints specified in that notice will not be conducted this weekend.

“The public will note that an Official Gazette Notice was featured yesterday [September 10th] and today [September 11th] advising that road sobriety checkpoints would be conducted in Paget and Devonshire on September 14th, 15th, and 16th.

“However due to this error in the Notice these checkpoints will not take place,” Mr Weekes added, with the Acting Deputy Commissioner referencing notices placed via the official gazette.

“I would like to reiterate the message that the BPS will continue to actively address drinking and driving on the roads this weekend using existing legislation,” Mr Weekes added.

The checkpoints were also supposed to take place over Cup Match, with the Government announcing in July that “roadside sobriety checkpoints will be setup at strategic locations throughout the weekend,” however on August 1st, the Government said this would not occur due to “legal hurdles.”

The Bill was passed this year in Parliament, and the Minister previously explained that it ”makes provision for the Senior Magistrate to authorize the police to conduct road sobriety checkpoints to stop all vehicles travelling through an authorized, predetermined location to check whether the driver is impaired.

“The purpose of these checkpoints is to deter driving after drinking by increasing the perceived risk of arrest. Drivers will be aware of an upcoming road sobriety checkpoint by a notice published in the Gazette, and the checkpoints will be highly visible with signage posted alerting drivers on the road of an upcoming checkpoint.”

Update 10.15pm: Shadow Minister of National Security Michael Dunkley said, “It is disappointing to learn that once again roadside sobriety testing had been postponed.

“The Government committed to testing by Cup Match however that commitment was not met. Since that time other commencement dates have been promised and not met.

“The latest failure to launch was due to an error in the Official Gazette notice.

“No explanation what the error was or when it will be corrected.

“Curiously now both the Minister of Transport and National Security have been silent on the inability to actually start the checkpoints; this after having rushed the legislation through the house in July.

“This brings to mind two old sayings…a bull in a hurry never made a calf and it makes no sense to cry over spilt milk.

“It’s time that the Government, Chambers and BPS get together and sort this out so this good initiative can be launched.”

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Comments (11)

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  1. Bermuda born.... Bermuda raised says:

    What a bunch of clowns! It’s a one page notice. Over the last month and a half, have they not engaged the proper stakeholders to get this right??

    • question says:

      It was only a couple of weeks ago that Burt finally passed the law properly and ordered the hardware. It was Wayne “Tittymilk” Caines who announced Cup Match sobriety testing before the law even allowed it.

  2. Point boy says:

    A bunch of jokers! Can you get intoxicated on titty milk?

  3. Triangle Drifter says:

    Keystone Cops. How many thousands has this ineptness cost us & not a single stop

  4. amazed says:

    Relax, it’s only been 40 some years since the rest of the world got breathalyzers.

  5. JohnBoy says:

    Yes I. Dunkleys got jokes!

  6. Infidelguy says:

    They said they “will continue to actively address drinking and driving on the roads this weekend using existing legislation.”

    That’s all that was needed in the first place. I believe this law will eventually face constitutional challenges.

  7. Shag says:

    I wouldn’t blame the police surely it’s the AG’s chambers who should be sorting out the procedural details

  8. Y-Gurl says:

    third world policing in a first world country…nothing new or surprising here

  9. spinspinspin says:

    Ah, Bermuda time.

  10. Dready says:

    This govt can only organise stuff for friends and family. Pay up your taxes and watch.