According to a spokesman for the transport ministry, Y-plate drivers have been the subject of routine traffic checks by the police to make sure they possess legitimate documentation.
The checks are a result of the government’s recent crackdown on the sector, which has seen the denial of work permits to hundreds of foreign nationals seeking jobs as food app couriers and cab drivers. Subsequently, Prime Minister Robert Abela declared that work permits will not be granted to newly hired taxi drivers or those who switch employers.
According to a spokesman for the transport ministry, Transport Malta conducts daily inspections, and Jobsplus, Identità, and the police do checks once a week.
“The authorities conducting these joint checks are mainly confirming that drivers of Y-plate vehicles have the right paperwork and licenses to operate a car in Malta. This entails verifying that work permits, driver’s licenses, and compliance with employment laws are in effect,” the representative stated.
Officials from Transport Malta request driver tags, driver’s licenses, and vehicle licenses. According to the spokesperson, Identità officials verify the driver’s immigration status, Jobsplus staff verify the driver’s employment and work permit status, and the police assist with enforcement.
The spokesperson for the transport ministry added that “Apart from Y-plate vehicles, these road inspections are also focusing on private and commercial vehicles.” That is? How can a Y-plate be private? By commercial do you mean Y-plate vans? Does it mean that these joint checks have been extended to private cars and Maltese drivers too?
In addition, by third country nationals, do we mean only Indians, Pakis, etc or does the term also include those who came to Malta with the excuse of the war but who sometimes go back to their country where there is a war, for vacation?
This is just going from one extreme to the next. The sector needs to be regulated big time. But in little saturated Malta of Big Business befriending Big Government [if you don’t know, Bolt was given a push by some politicians in Big Government. It bloomed suddenly and quickly not out of hard work but because of the friends in Big Government. No wonder that Animal Welfare volunteers are given free rides by Bolt from their home to the Animal Welfare Shelter and back] the concept of having sectors which are balanced and fairly regulated is alien.
The usual problem-reaction-solution.
Problem: bring in massive immigration until they saturate some working sectors which are free-for-all.
Reaction: A crackdown on the sector.
Solution: Bring in suffocating control and turn Malta into a police state.
This has all started with Covid-19, you see. You are slowly being downloaded the common sight of having police doing checks on the road. During Covid-19, it was about lockdown regulations and vaccination certificates checks. Now it is driving.