Registration of e-bicycles extended to December 29

…no more excuses, cost for registration is $750 – AG

Authorities have put a hold on the enforcement of the new laws that seek to regulate the use of electric bicycles on Guyana’s roadways by allowing persons more time to register their bikes.
Back in May, the National Assembly passed the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill 2023 that now allows for e-bikes to be licensed as well as places an age-restriction on those who use this mode of transportation.
Following the passage of the new law, the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) commenced registration of electric bicycles on July 4, 2023 and this process was initially schedule to run for three months before the regulation is enforced. However, GRA has since announced the extension of the registration period which has effectively pushed back enforcement of the new law.
According to Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister, Anil Nandlall, S.C., there should not be any excuses now for e-bikes owners and users.
“The complaint was that they didn’t have sufficient time and notification that we are going to amend the law to require the registration of these electric cycles. We heeded that public cry and that public outcry and we ask the Guyana Revenue Authority and the Guyana Police Force to stand down in terms of enforcing the provisions of that amendment of the Road Traffic Act.”
“We asked them to do so for six months. Well, 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. We’ll have to face the consequences of violating the law,” Nandlall posited.
The Attorney General went onto note that government has been very reasonable with the rollout of this new law. On this note, he pleaded with persons across the country to ensure they comply with the deadline and register their e-bikes.
“You can get the registration done at any GRA office countrywide. In areas where there are no GRA offices, GRA has promised to set up places where the registration will be done and I’m told that those places are up and running.”
“The cost for registration is minimal, just $750. So, cost can’t be part of your complaint anymore… But you have to be registered if you wish to use the public roadway by [an electric bike]…So, I hope that we will have compliance because if we don’t have compliance, we will have problems,” the AG asserted.
The need for regulations to govern the use of electric bicycles on Guyana’s roadways was fueled by the increase in accidents, some fatal, involving users of this mode of transportation.
One such accident occurred on February 17, 2023 in which Bibi Sophia Mohammed, a 17-year-old resident of Non Pareil, East Coast Demerara, died after her electric bike collided with a truck on the Coldingen Public Road, ECD. At the time of the accident, the Sophia was the pillion rider while her 16-year-old sister, who was also injured, was driving the bike.
Consequently, the amendments to the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act Cap 51:02 brought electric bicycles under the same legislative regime as motorcycles. This means that the provisions of the Principal Act that governs the registration and use of motor cycles will now be applicable to electric cycles including age restrictions.
Presently, an individual must be 16 years of age or older before he/she can apply for a provisional motorcycle licence and 17 years or older for a provisional motorcycle and car licence. An applicant needs to be 18 years of age or older for a car, van and motorcycle licence.
Section 33 (2) of the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act allows persons who are 16 years to drive motorcycles. As such, the regularisation of electric bikes in Guyana will prohibits persons under the age of 16 to use this type of transportation.
According to statistics, 11 persons have been killed and 14 injured from using e-bikes during the period 2021 up until May of this year. In 2022 alone, there were seven electric bike-related road fatalities recorded in Guyana. (G8)