Coga satisfied with money used to improve service delivery at the Vehicle Testing Station |24 September 2022
The Committee on Government Assurances (Coga) of the National Assembly is satisfied with work done to improve service and working environment for staff at the Vehicle Testing Station (VTS), Roche Caiman.
It was the chairperson of the committee, Honourable Sylvanne Lemiel, who made the statement to the press after a visit made to the station yesterday morning, in regards to assurances made in the 2021 budget by the Land Transport department for the improvement of facility and staff welfare. VTS was allocated R2 million for upgrading work on the facility and for maintenance work on the equipment.
Honourable Lemiel said that while they are satisfied that the money has been well spent in regards to the overall pledged assurances to improve service delivery and comfort for the staff, they are hoping that the staff salary scheme, that was also pledged, get to materialise in the next budget.
Before visiting the facility, the committee members held discussion, in regards to the assurances made, with the principal secretary for Land Transport, Patrick Andre, road commissioner Wilson Denis and the chief executive of VTS, Hans Albert.
Apart from revamping the station and its equipment to improve service delivery, including the introduction of an appointment system to reduce congestion and long queues at the station, the station is in the process of installing a third and modern digital testing digital lane to cater for the amount of transport coming into the country. The lane is expected to be in operation by the first quarter of 2023.
The station attends to 120 vehicles per day and to give better service to its customers, the fifteen workers at the station work shifts – from 7.30am to 3.30pm as compared to 8am to 3pm in the past.
PS Andre said the intention to introduce the third testing lane and other measures in place is to improve the service to the maximum so that the time that customers have to wait at the station continues to reduce.
He added that the electronic lane will accelerate testing and also the time to get the results will be much quicker than previously.
He stated that the station will not be making any staff redundant as a result of the introduction of the electronic lane (70% digital) as the same workforce will be needed to man the electronic tablets to relate information to the central information system.
He added that the lane will also require 30% physical labour.
He said that the installation of the third lane will come with a new online programme where customers will be able to choose the day, time and date to have their vehicles tested.
He noted that apart from walk-ins and phone-ins bookings, VTS is also providing e-service booking via the station’s email.
Regarding other developments to happen at the station, PS Andre said the facility will be extended next year to cater for more office space.
There are also plans to build a proper ramp for vehicle testing on La Digue, which among the services will include a mobile brake testing equipment.
He explained that taking into account the number of vehicles on La Digue, it will not be economically viable to construct a fully fledged VTS.
He added that work is under way to build a full VTS on Ile Eve on Praslin.
While vehicle testing on Mahé is held every day, Monday to Friday, on Praslin the testing is done every Friday and on La Digue once every two months.
All of the drivers who brought their vehicles for testing at the station yesterday and who spoke to Seychelles NATION said that they were satisfied with the service, especially with the appointment system which allows them to finish their transactions in the shortest time possible as compared to waiting longer hours in long queues as in the past. VTS Roche Caiman was opened in 1996.
Other members of the committee present were Hon. Norbert Loizeau (vice-chair), Hon. Wallace Cosgrow, Hon. Rocky Uranie, Hon. Desheila Bastienne, and Hon. Richard Labrosse. Hon. Philip Monthy was not present.
Patrick Joubert
