Software Payment Lapse Halts Belize’s Driver License System, Fix Coming Soon

The Ministry of Transportation is moving swiftly to resolve the disruption in the issuance of drivers’ licenses caused by a lapse in software payment. As we’ve reported, the system, developed in 2018 with support from the Republic of China (Taiwan), ceased operations after the ministry failed to renew its software license. Today, Chief Executive Officer Chester Williams met with officials from the Taiwan Embassy in Belize City to address the issue. He told the media today that the ministry is working diligently to restore the system and anticipates that the problem will be resolved within the next month.

Chester Williams, CEO, Ministry of Transport: “I’m very optimistic that the system should be brought up very shortly. I have explained to them that we do have the monies on hand to be able to pay the sum owed. And again, I see on social media some people asking why don’t we seek local developers to develop the program. Just for clarity of the Belizean people the system that we currently have was donated by Taiwan.  Taiwan paid for it. Even the monies that we have that were supposed to be paid to the developers, that money also came from Taiwan. So this comes at no cost to the Belizean government. If we were to go and seek local developers to develop such a program we’ll be paying in the millions for such a program. So it is best that we try to bring up what we currently have. Again, it is not going to take much. It’s just paying what we owe and then go back to the drawing board with the developers, explain to them basically what we want the system to do. In speaking with the Chief Transport Officer and his people, they’re saying that they want additional features to be added to the system. And so I have tasked them, like I said yesterday, to come together, discuss and come up with a plan in terms of exactly what you want the system to do so that when we meet with the developers because we are hoping that they’ll be able to come to these very shortly, we’ll be able to say to them exactly what we want. If we are trying to see if we can have a virtual meeting with the developers, and again, we were lucky to have been told that those persons who are involved in the development of the system in 2017 still work for the company that deals with the system. So them being there, still embedded in the company that is good for us because they know the system, they know what they will need to do and so if they can communicate with CITO and try to bring the system up virtually then we can begin to print driver’s license hopefully within the next two weeks.  If that is not done then the alternative route is for them to come to Belize to see what would be needed to be done to get the system up and running but I’m very optimistic that we should be able to resolve the issue within a month’s time.”

While the issue is being resolved rather quickly, it is one that could have been avoided if the proper oversight was in place. Our newsroom asked Williams what is being done to ensure such a blunder isn’t repeated and how the ministry is minimizing the inconvenience for drivers. 

Chester Williams, CEO, Ministry of Transport: “I can say to you that as the CEO of the ministry now I will keep my eyes on the ball an I have tasked my management team that each manager must pull their weight. It cannot be that we manage in such a way that we take our eyes off things that needs to be done. For example, paying a fee that ought to have been paid knowing we have the money there to pay that is a serious blunder, it ought not to have happened.  And because of that now we’re paying the price for it where people are unable to get their driver’s license. So things like this we need to ensure we stay on top of that so it does not occur. I can see people’s frustration on social media, and rightfully so.  It’s a matter now for us to make sure that we do the right thing moving forward, that we don’t end up in this situation no more.”

Reporter: In the meantime, what sort of maybe temporary passes or so are issued to drivers?  
Chester Williams, CEO, Ministry of Transport:“Well, as I have said yesterday that I have told the traffic wardens that we will have to accept the receipts when it is produced at the checkpoint by drivers. The police are also aware of that. The municipal traffic are also aware of that. And so the persons who have paid for the renewal of drivers license and do not have it, we just encourage them to keep the receipts on them. When they go on the road if they arrive at a checkpoint either for police or traffic produce the receipt just to indicate that they have paid for the renewal and they should be good to go.”

Williams added that the ministry is also exploring bringing the developers to Belize if the issue isn’t resolved in a timely fashion.