Driving licence to cost more?
 

by Ananda Kannangara

The Ministry of Transport will shortly introduce a new "Smart Card" (with a SIM) driving licence.

Tenders had been entertained recently and of the seven bidders five have been rejected, well informed sources revealed. The cost of a "Smart Card" with the SIM system is well below eight US dollars at international level and eyebrows are raised over a move to consider a bid at US dollars 16 by one bidder, the sources added.

Sources from the Registrar of Motor Vehicles said that if the tender was awarded to the highest bidder, a "Smart Card" driving licence would have to be sold at Rs. 2,500 as a margin would have to be kept for operational work by the Department.

"If this happens, there will be no price difference between a driving licence and the Sri Lankan Passport", sources said.

Transport Minister A. H. M. Fowzie said the new system would be implemented after cabinet approval and the ministry had followed all necessary tender procedures to select the suitable bidder. "We received seven bids, rejected five and two are under consideration", the minister added.

Minister Fowzie said that the two bidders under consideration have already completed their 'demonstrations' on the system of the technology involving the production of the "Smart Card".

He declined to divulge details of the two bids under consideration but, RMV sources disclosed that the highest bidder had quoted US dollars 16 per card.

The present driving licence produced by Access International costs US dollars 1.25 and the contract with this company is due to expire in July this year.