A 20-year-old motorcyclist, Romel Bhola, has been fined a total of $330,000 and ordered to perform six months of community service after pleading guilty to 24 traffic offenses committed over two consecutive days along Tabatinga Drive.
Appearing before Magistrate Omadatt Chandan at the Lethem Magistrate’s Court, Bhola admitted to numerous violations of the motor vehicle and road traffic laws. He was riding a black motorcycle without identification marks when the offenses occurred on January 13 and 14.
On January 13, Bhola pleaded guilty to 13 charges, including:
- Operating an uninsured motor vehicle
- Operating an uncertified motor vehicle
- Failing to display identification marks
- Making loud and continuous noise
- Improper maintenance of the motorcycle
- Failing to carry a speedometer
- Failing to carry a reflecting mirror
- Failing to carry directional indicator lights
- Driving an unlicensed motor vehicle
- Operating a motorcycle without a safety helmet
- Failure to give the right of way
The fines for these offenses ranged from $5,000 to $25,000, with imprisonment in default of payment.
On January 14, Bhola faced an additional 11 charges, many mirroring the previous day’s violations. These offenses also included:
- Operating an uninsured motor vehicle
- Operating an uncertified motor vehicle
- Failing to display identification marks
- Improper maintenance
- Failing to carry a speedometer
- Failing to carry a reflecting mirror
- Failing to carry directional indicator lights
- Driving an unlicensed motor vehicle
- Making loud and continuous noise
For this second set of charges, the court imposed penalties of up to $30,000 per charge, or imprisonment for non-payment. In total, Bhola’s fines amounted to $330,000, or 33 weeks’ imprisonment if the fines are not settled.
In addition to the financial penalties, Magistrate Chandan ordered Bhola to perform six months of community service at the Lethem Police Station, set to begin on January 23, 2026, between 9:00 AM and 12:00 PM.
The Guyana Police Force (GPF) has reiterated its commitment to enforcing traffic laws, emphasizing the necessity for compliance to ensure public safety, particularly in hinterland regions where traffic violations remain a prevalent concern.
