A matter, regarding vehicle glass-tinting, involving some elements of controversy, has been a big story in Anguilla over the past several days, as the time drew near for the enforcement of the regulations.
The Minister of Infrastructure, responsible for Communications and Transport, Mr. Haydn Hughes, commented on the matter in an interview with The Anguillian newspaper on Monday, August 31.
“There is a lot of controversy relating to the legislation relating to tint,” he stated. “This legislation has been on the book for the better part of two decades; and it seems as though persons have been applying tint all along in contravention of the Vehicles and Road Traffic Act. Recently, the Commissioner of Police has been saying to the general public that the police will be enforcing the law to remove the tint. It has become a big issue and we can understand why persons are concerned about it. One of the things, I recently learnt, is that, because of our environment, and the penetration of light into our vehicles and so forth…carcinogens emissions [from plastics and other sources] have an impact on our health.
“After hearing all the noise, both on social and other media, relating to tint, I convened a meeting with the Commissioner of Police; Patrick Niles who works at the Ministry of Infrastructure and who deals with vehicles; and members of the Tint Application Fraternity which applies tint on vehicles for a living. We had a very amicable meeting and we came to an agreement as it relates to amendments to the legislation. So, today, [August 31], I will be going to a Special Meeting of Executive Council and will be laying amendments to the Act.
“The amendments read as follows: A sun band of no more than one-sixth of the front windscreen, to be measured from the inside down. The front side windows will be at fifty percent, with no graphics permitted; and permission can be granted to increase this to a maximum of thirty-five percent on payment of a fee of 100 EC dollars a year; rear side-windows at fifteen percent with no graphics permitted; and rear windscreen at fifty percent, with graphics permitted but no greater that six inches from the top edge.”
Minister Hughes continued: “This was agreed to by the Commissioner of Police, the Ministry of Infrastructure and those persons who apply tint on vehicles for a living. We are going to amend this legislation, once and for all, so that persons will not run-foul of the law while protecting their vehicles and themselves.”
The Traffic Act is silent on cases where vehicles imported into Anguilla have been tinted by the manufacturers – in that it cannot be removed as it is processed within the glass itself. The concern of the Act is about the extra, and perhaps enhancement, tint which is applied by the persons who own the vehicles and which, in some cases, is regarded as being too dark.
While the tint may enhance vehicles, protect vulnerable dashboards and the health of motorists, from a police perspective there appears to be a feeling that heavily-tinted vehicles can provide a cover for persons engaged in suspicious activity.
Meanwhile, Minister Hughes sees a conflict in terms of the amount of tint applied by the vehicle manufacturers which, in some cases, is heavier than what is being locally done. “That is the hypocrisy in the law,” he observed. “Take, for example, my Hummer Vehicle has thirteen percent tint. If I had applied that to my vehicle, it would be illegal and I could be fined up to five thousand dollars; but now, because it is factory-tinted, it is permitted. That, in itself, says the law is not equitable. Any law you have must be equitable and fair; and that is why I am right now seeking to amend the legislation to ensure that there is equity and fairness across the board.”
The vehicle tint regulations were published by the Traffic Department, of the Royal Anguilla Police Force, last week. The penalties for not complying with the law are: for the first offence: a fine of EC$5,000 or imprisonment or both; for a second or subsequent offence: a fine of EC$10,000 or imprisonment for one year or both.
