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The Fiji police force says leniency in sentencing by the courts is not helping to deter public service drivers, especially taxi drivers, from re-offending.
Director Police Traffic Operations, Senior Superintendent Mahesh Mishra made the comment after another taxi driver was arrested for alleged drink driving last night.
Mishra said that instead of being role models, taxi drivers were the more serious offenders.
So far this year, more than 200 taxi drivers had been arrested for various traffic offences while overall, more than 7000 traffic offences had been recorded by police.
“People must feel the pinch if they break the law,” Mishra said.
“While we don’t want to interfere with the court process, we’re asking for heavier penalties,” he said, on whether there was a need to increase penalties.
The current maximum penalty for a first traffic offence is $2000.
“The leniency in sentencing does not deter them from re-offending,” Mishra said.
