South Goa RTO is a fountainhead of corruption in Goa. First hand experience of a parent. – By Ashley J. Fernandes

Ashley J. Fermandes

Well this was what was well said and written about by a friend of mine many years ago. Whilst I waited for the right opportunity to come my way I was rewarded last week as the corrupt official of the transport department played into my hands during the driving test of my daughter, Aelita-lee Fernandes, the inspector concerned, Nixon Soares.

It is a well known fact that driving tests over the years are a mere formality, observing the manner in which vehicles are driven and parked on the Goan roads. A farce it is, because rules are applied and are supposedly implemented by the officers in charge to selective candidates at the time of the tests, only to be forgotten forever by one and all. That the rules itself are wrongly implemented is another joke.

Miss Aelita-Lee Fernandes turned up for her driving test on 27^th May 2016 near the District Library, Navelim  at 9.30am since the scheduled time for the traffic cell personnel to arrive was 10am. After a long wait for 1hour 15 minutes (to be precise), the officer arrived much to my delight, as the candidates were made to waiting in the sweltering summer heat, as he greeted me and enquired who was being tested from my family. I openly gave him the name as I didn’t want any favours done.

This being besides the point, the tests began and my daughter was tested. After she was asked to drive forward, reverse and park to a side which she rightly did in the best possible manner, she got off the vehicle and was told by the officer that she had not put her parking lights on. Well I would like to ask Nixon Soares, if he has ever put the parking lights of his vehicle on whilst having dinner and booze at a bar and restaurant, I haven’t to be honest. I yet chose to accept the decision of her being failed for this action of hers, since the deciding authority at that instant seemed to have carried out his duties, till the time I set my hands on the officers report of the test which is sufficient proof. What I actually saw was shocking, it is worst than corruption to the core, since the officer’s report had nothing mentioned on it, as to why my daughter has failed the test  and a test was rescheduled for 31/05/2016. Now, if she had failed the test for whatever valid reason, the reason should have been mentioned, which also implies that the failed candidate cannot be given a re-test before a 10 day gap.  On questioning the instructor of the Teja Motor Driving School, I was told to speak to the inspector since the papers were lying with him. Why should I be allowed to speak to the inspector to reverse his decision or was it one way of asking for a bribe or further, was it a way of getting even with me for my attack on the Transport Department in South Goa which is already a laughing stock for all around, with traffic rules being flouted at the drop of a hat, in the local newspapers and on social media? It is by all standards a “highly suspicious judgement”.

What is even more shocking are the faulty signals (as per my knowledge ) followed by the driving schools and the inspectors conducting the test, where my daughter was asked to press the hazed light button to activate the hazard lights as parking lights . reverse lights. If this is what the hazard lights are used for then which lights do we use when a vehicle that has broken down is parked to a side? Also, can the Transport Minister or the band of jokers under him educate me as to why vehicle manufacturers have provided reverse lights when the reverse gear is activated? I also demand an answer , as to what are the actual parking lights provided  meant for? I’m sorry, the guys in the transport department will first need to take a crash course on the rules governing traffic before they test candidates applying for a driving licence.

While this may be put into print in the local media, the matter will also be seriously taken up with authorities at the State Government level and Central Government level, for the CORRUPT PRACTICES followed by the TRANSPORT CELL in Goa as a whole, as we need to weed out the garbage that is present within the system which as of now is “ the fountain head of corruption”.