After this week, government vehicles will be driving around without tinted windows. That's after a directive from the Assets and Utilities Management Unit to remove the tints from the vehicles in order to comply with government policy.
So while yesterday those vehicles in Belmopan were getting their tints removed and their insurance renewed, today was the Belize District's turn. Courtney Menzies has this story.
This was the sound that echoed across the Eleanor Hall parking lot this morning as the tint was being removed from all Belize District government vehicles picking up their renewed insurance policies.
It's the enforcement of a long-standing, long-ignored regulation implemented by the Assets & Utilities Management Unit.
According to a memo issued on the 19th, in order to comply with the laws and protocols in the vehicle policy, windows must not be tinted, except is special cases where - depending on the department - only 20% tint is allowed for rear windows. In terms of the windshield, they are only allowed the 7 inch strip.
Exceptions are made for customs enforcement and specialized police vehicles - such as those used for intelligence gathering.
And while this police enforcement is happening countrywide, not all GOB workers agree - this morning, we heard some grumbling as tint was removed. However, this move by the AUMU is to regularize the 1,500 vehicles and 300 motorcycles that make up the government's fleet.
By 10:30 this morning, one trash bag was already filled with discarded tint. Yesterday at the license renewal in Belmopan, they managed to fill 2 bags at the steps of the National Assembly. Tomorrow, Cayo vehicles will be getting their tint removed and insurance renewed at the Victor Galvez field.
And if there are any questions or complaints, the AUMU team has this prepared so that government drivers can easily scan the code to see the vehicle policy.
Reports say that police were the most resistant to the tints being taken off.
