Leader of the Opposition Mark Golding is disappointed that the Government rebuffed his attempts to table a bill to amend the Road Traffic Act earlier this week.

When Golding sought leave from the House to introduce the Road Traffic (Amendment) Act, 2018, which would address the child restraint issue, the Government used its majority to defeat his move.

When the votes were counted, there were 11 yays for the Opposition, 29 nos for the Government with 23 members absent.

“Unfortunately, the government used its majority to prevent me getting leave to have this bill introduced, the minister responsible for transport indicated that they would be bringing regulations and amendments to existing regulations to put in a place a system of no requirement regulations and optional restraint requirements depending on the age of the child,” Golding said in a press conference held immediately after Parliament.

Golding said he was disappointed as the Opposition had merely sought to assure restive members of the transport sector, who are withdrawing their service across the country since the new Road Traffic Act was implemented on February 1.

“The announcement of an amendment to come may or may not provide them with comfort as would actual legislation brought to the house which was what I did,” Golding said.

On Tuesday, Minister of Transport and Mining, Audley Shaw, indicated that the Government is taking steps to rescind the 25 traffic tickets issued to motorists, who had been penalised for transporting children without the requisite child restraint system.

Minister Shaw also announced measures that reverse the previous requirement in the Road Traffic Act that mandated the use of a child restraint system to transport children aged 12 and under.

READ: No more child seat requirements; Gov’t bows to public pressure

Golding also voiced concerns that “no local government elections will be held by the 28th of this month”.

He said the supplementary budget had no financial provision to enable the execution of local government elections, and that no legislation was brought by the government to “further extend the period that no local government elections will be held”.

Last year, a bill was piloted through the House of Representatives to postpone local government elections for a further 12 months, which were to be held no later than February 2023.

This was done because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and its fourth wave, as it was believed that the holding of an election at that time would put the country at greater public-health risk.