Fix the licence plate mix-up before it gets worse

Motorists are already battling with high gas prices, frustratingly heavy traffic, and the daily stress of simply getting from one end of the island to the other.

The last thing they need is to discover that vehicles they bought legally, insured faithfully, and believed were fully registered are actually listed as unregistered. Worse yet, some are finding that their registration numbers are being used by other vehicles on the road.

This is not a small issue. It is a serious matter of trust in the systems that are supposed to keep our roads orderly and our records accurate. Recent reports show that many drivers only learned of the problem by accident, including a woman who found out her vehicle had not been registered for five years, even though she had proper insurance.

In her case, someone else was driving around with her licence number. That is frightening. Imagine being stopped by police or being linked to an accident you had nothing to do with, simply because someone else has your number plate.

How did we get here?

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Barbados Revenue Authority (BRA) and the Barbados Licensing Authority (BLA) changed their procedures. Since offices were closed or working with limited staff, insurance companies were asked to send policy information directly to the BRA, which would then send it to the BLA. This was meant to keep services going during a difficult time. But as we now see, the system did not work smoothly.

Insurance companies say they submitted the required information. The BRA says it processed the data. But somehow, gaps emerged. Some information was not transmitted on time. Some vehicles were off the road but were never reported. And in some cases, unfortunately, people may have deliberately duplicated licence plates for illegal purposes. The BLA has admitted to confirming a “limited number” of duplicate plates, but we all know that even one is too many.

The truth is that the system became too dependent on perfect communication between different agencies and private insurers. That kind of arrangement can work only if everyone submits accurate, timely, and consistent data. But according to the BLA, about 25 per cent of insurance companies still do not send in updates on time. This affects the accuracy of the entire database.

Motorists cannot be blamed for this breakdown if they paid for insurance and followed the rules. They trusted that when they renewed their policies, the information would flow through the channels exactly as promised. Many were not told they needed to physically bring in documents until recently. And even when the General Insurance Association of Barbados  (GIAB) issued a notice last year advising drivers to take in their certificates and cover notes, thousands never saw or heard that message.

So, what can be done?

Barbados needs a modern, unified, real-time database shared by the BLA, BRA, and insurance companies. This is not impossible. Many countries already use such systems. With a single digital record that updates immediately when insurance is renewed, there would be no room for delays, duplicates, or missing information. The government has been talking about digital transformation for years, and this is the perfect opportunity to prove it.

Second, there must be consequences for insurance companies or brokers who fail to submit data on time, especially when the law requires accurate reporting. A 25 per cent non-compliance rate is not acceptable.

The BLA should also launch a public awareness campaign to inform motorists of their responsibilities and to encourage them to check their registration status at least once a year. Posters in insurance offices, radio messages, and simple online tools could help people confirm their information in minutes.

There needs to be a straightforward process for motorists who discover that their number has been duplicated. The BLA’s current procedure, requesting a written statement and proof of insurance, is a start. But turnaround times must be fast, and affected drivers should not face adverse consequences while their matters are being reviewed.

Most importantly, the BLA and BRA should consider returning to a system where the vehicle owner is responsible for confirming registration each year through an efficient and simple and timely process. The pandemic is over; relying on third-party submissions may have been a useful temporary measure, but it clearly cannot serve as a long-term solution. Drivers should submit proof of insurance directly to the BLA, in person, or through a reliable online portal that they themselves control.