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MARIGOT--The first batch of the new credit card-type St. Martin driving licences have arrived and are ready to be distributed as of today, it was announced at a press conference on Friday.
The batch of 475 licences include 149 that are first time issues for new drivers, 93 that are duplicates, 114 that have been exchanged i.e. residents of St. Martin who were issued with a St. Maarten licence, and 119 that fall into a conversion category (changing from military licence to civil licence etc.). Another 197 licences are due to arrive in about ten days.
First Vice-President Guillaume Arnell emphasised, however, that the 149 first time issue licences and the 93 duplicate licences will be given out first due to the Territorial Council decision on Thursday to increase the fee to exchange a licence from 150 euros to 200 euros. This has to go through the legal process, about two weeks, with the Préfecture before the change can be applied.
Other fees include 100 euros for a duplicate licence, 150 euros for conversion of a licence, but no fee for issuance of a first time licence.
The licence is a European-compliant licence issued in St. Martin and valid for 15 years. It is valid all over the world. French St. Martin has the competence for transportation and as such the Collectivité manages vehicle registration, car taxes, and driving licences, and as an Ultra Peripheral Region St. Martin is subject to European regulations.
The concept and realisation of the licence was entrusted to Computech, developing the software to effectively set up a motor vehicle platform. The card itself contains not only the holder’s information but complex security features built into seven pressed layers. It is fabricated by the company Gemalto in Finland which produces according to the orders it receives.
“The delays that we encountered were related mainly to validating the quality assurance plan for the licences and because photos and signatures were not submitted properly,†explained Computech’s Managing Director Jean Arnell. “Today when you request your licence you provide a photo that is scanned and you sign on a tablet device and that information is taken from a form you fill out and put into your file. Everything is in proper order now to proceed with operations on a regular basis. All the licences in the back log will be produced provided those drivers give the department that issues the licences with their photos and signatures.â€
About 1,000 driving licences that were issued in Saba are in the process of being exchanged it was noted.
Guillaume Arnell praised Territorial Councillor in charge of transport Louis Fleming for the work he has accomplished on driving licences.
