Editor,

Please kindly permit me space in your Observer mail column to express my concern about the recent proposal of new licensing scheme as related by the Inspector General of police. This is indeed a brilliant initiative geared towards reducing the rate of road accidents and also to help in traffic regulation.

However, I have reservation about the statement and decision that all drivers will undergo thorough driving test before the renewal of licences. Apart from government drivers, all commercial and private drivers must undergo the test.

In my view, I think it will be more democratic if the test is applied to all drivers and I think all drivers should be treated equally rather than  segregate them. It is quite true that the rate of road accident is on the increase and it is therefore obvious that there are many factors to this, including drunk-driving, cannabis smoking, mobile conversation as well as improper issuing of licences to drivers.

The government through the Ministry of Interior should lay down severe penalties for reckless driving to avoid un unecesary loss of innocent lives every now and then.