Guyana’s Attorney General, Anil Nandlall is urging citizens to make haste as the second deadline extension for the voluntary registration of electric cycles comes to an end on December 29, 2023.
Nandlall, who is also the country’s Legal Affairs Minister, said that the extension was granted after citizens complained of not having sufficient time to get their affairs in order. This was a week after the National Assembly passed amendments to the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic laws to regulate the use of electric bikes. In tabling the bill back in May of this year, Nandlall had revealed that some 11 electric-bike users were killed on the roadways with 14 suffering injuries.
The AG, during an airing of his weekly “Issues in the News” programme this week, said that the government heeded the call for an extension by asking the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to “stand down” from enforcing the provisions of the law.
“That period is now coming to an end. It means that after the deadline of December 29, 2023, the law will be enforced and persons who have failed to register their e-motorcycles over the past six months, will have to face the consequences of violating the law. We have been very reasonable,” Nandlall said.
According to the GRA, Registration documents can be submitted at any of the GRA’s Integrated Regional Tax Offices (IRTOs) – Mabaruma, Anna Regina, Parika, New Amsterdam, Corriverton, Bartica, Lethem and Linden.
The requirements for registration are as follows:
- Completed Motor Vehicle Registration Application Form
- Purchase Receipt or Affidavit of Lost Purchase Receipt issued by a notary public or other legally authorised person.
- Valid Identification (National ID Card, Passport or current Driver’s Licence)
Existing electric motorcycles that do not have a chassis or frame number will be issued a unique identification number by the GRA. It is the responsibility of the owner to engrave this number onto the frame/chassis shaft of the electric motorcycles before applying to the Guyana Police Force for Certificate of Fitness.
“It should be noted that in keeping with the notice previously published on June 28, 2023, effective July 4, 2023, the Customs and Trade Operations Department no longer facilitates importation of electric bikes without the chassis numbers engraved on their frame, unless they were purchased and shipped prior to July 4, 2023.”
The standard rate for registration and motor vehicle licence will apply. The GRA advises that you MUST be the holder of a valid driver’s licence for the class of motorcycle in order to use such cycles on the roadways.
