by Namini Wijedasa
The Motor Traffic Department, now swamped with between 450 to 500 applications daily for the registration of new motor vehicles, has invited public opinion on an ambitious plan to restructure the institution.

"There are hundreds of applications a day and we are finding it difficult to cope with the workload," E. Jinadasa, commissioner of motor traffic, told The Island yesterday. In the 1920s, when the department was set up, there was only around one application a month.

Among the modernisation plans already initiated are the computerisation of the department and elimination of old files, some of which date back to the 1920s. "The record room is full of files and is taking up a huge amount of space," Jinadasa noted.

He said that the department would advertise next week asking owners whether the vehicles they registered years ago are still in use and whether the respective files are needed. "If they do not reply, the files will be destroyed," he said. "But we will first let the Archives Department peruse them in order to sort and preserve any documents of national importance."

Asked about regular complaints that employees at the department are often rude to clients and are known to demand bribes, Jinandasa said that changes in that arena will need time and tact.

He said that the public must share the blame for bribe-taking because many of them offer money in order to get their work done faster. "Even if you hire the most honest and straightforward official, there are people who offer money," he explained. "After a while, it becomes a culture."

The public have been given three months to submit their proposals.