Motor Car Liveries Amendment Act 2022
Minister of Transport Lawrence Scott tabled the Motor Car [Liveries] Amendment Act 2022 which aims to ”create an offence for operating a minicar livery without a licence” and “amends Part VIB to expand the types of vehicles that can be used on a guided tour and addresses related matters in legislation.”
The Minister’s full statement follows below:
Mr. Speaker, today I will be tabling the Motor Car [Liveries] Amendment Act 2022 [“the Bill”].
The Bill aims to amend the Motor Car Act 1951 to create an offence for operating a minicar livery without a licence, amends Part VIB to expand the types of vehicles that can be used on a guided tour and addresses related matters in legislation.
Mr. Speaker, except for changing the year from 2021 to 2022, the content of the Bill is the same that was introduced on 10 September 2021 and passed in this Honourable House on 24 September 2021.
The Bill was taken up for debate within the Senate on 6 October 2021. At that time, the Opposition put forward a motion for an amendment. The proposed amendment was for a new clause to be inserted; “10A. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Act or in the principal Act, no Guided Tour Vehicle shall be used within the National Park System [as defined in the Bermuda National Park Act 1986]. The narrative supporting the proposal was around the safety of the public and the protection of the environment.
Mr. Speaker, despite being fully informed that there is an approval process for the proposed routes for guided tour vehicles, there are statutory protections for breeches in National Parks, and the Government is fully committed to protecting all aspects of the environment, the motion carried. The Bill fell at the end of the parliamentary session in December 2021.
Subsequently, the Ministry of Transport met with members of the Senate, environmental agencies, and members of the public to answer questions and address concerns about guided tour vehicle operations.
Mr. Speaker, the proposed amendment would have meant that a tour vehicle would not be legally permitted to enter a National Park.
Mr. Speaker, you would be aware that public service vehicles, taxis, limousines, and minibuses, take our visitors on tours that drive through and stop for a visit to our National Parks. Our visitors experience flora, forts, beaches, historical artefacts, and the like. It is most unfortunate that the Opposition put forward a proposal that is discriminatory toward guided tour vehicles effectively rendering the service pointless, as they would not have access to the areas we most want to showcase and visitors come to Bermuda to see.
Mr. Speaker, the Ministry of Transport strives to provide an environment where job creation and entrepreneurship in the transportation is favourable. I look forward to progressing the Bill since the Ministry is aware of an entrepreneur who is eager to operate a guided tour operation and waiting for the statutory changes so that their type of vehicle would be permitted to be licensed as a guided tour vehicle.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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