National Assembly passes bill to regulate use of electric bikes

The Motor Vehicle and Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill of 2023 was successfully passed in the National Assembly on Wednesday to enforce safety on the roadways related to electric cycles.

Presenting the bill, Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn said the usage of electric cycles needed to be regulated.

“We have had to take into account the fact that we should not leave gaps in the way our laws are written, so that the question of whether a motor as stated in the law, refers only to a gasoline or diesel-powered vehicle.

“We wanted to have it clearly defined that it includes electric motors. It is to provide clarity and safety in terms of the language of the law, in case the use of the word ‘motor’ is challenged,” the home affairs minister explained.

He stressed that persons, including children, are often seen riding these bikes without protective gear.

“We have been giving out free helmets on the road. We go out, have the police stop them, and we give them free helmets. Again, we are going to go out and give free helmets, but given the current culture on the roads, and the fact that we have a fair amount of disrespect amongst ourselves when we drive on the road, much stronger action has to be taken. This speaks volumes about our engagement in relation to our service to the people of Guyana,” the minister stated.

The bill seeks to amend section two of the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act, Cap 51:02 to regulate the use of electric cycles and it inserts a definition for “electric cycle.”

An electric cycle is defined to be any motorcycle that has an electric motor and is fitted with an effective stopping system controlled by the use of brakes, gears, or motor control.

This means that electric bikes will be subject to the same regulations as motorcycles when it comes to registration and use.

The definition of a motor vehicle is amended by expanding this definition to include an “electric cycle.”

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mohabir Anil Nandlall, SC, said the bill represents the government’s commitment to the protection of Guyanese, pointing out that the steadily increasing use of electric vehicles has begun to pose a danger to the public.

“We have had, on our roadways for a number of years now, these electric cycles, and they have begun to pose a problem, because our legislative architecture does not, in its current form, cater for them. There was no way to regulate them or bring them into any form of regulatory framework, other than by this amendment.

“We will continue to bring bills of different sizes and different magnitudes as we proceed with the transformation of this country. We will dedicate our time and energy to the service of the people of this nation,” the AG stated.

Opposition Member of Parliament Geeta Chandan-Edmond also supported the bill, noting that the inclusion of electric cycles in the amendment brings clarity to the legislation.

“I cannot see any syllable in this proposed amendment that warrants critique or opposition,” she said.

In February, the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) clarified that it was not registering or licensing electric bikes, as there was no legislation to regulate such.

The agency said it was working along with sister agencies, including the Guyana Police Force, regarding the requirements for importation, registration, licensing, and related liability insurance for electric bikes.

The implementation of the legislation will facilitate the registration and licensing of electric bikes.