Finance Minister Ardwell Irion.
PHILIPSBURG--Finance Minister Ardwell Irion and his team are hoping to get local graphic designers/artists involved in designing the final number plate that motorists will be using before the country switches to a system with stickers equipped with Quick Response (QR) codes.
The final plates will be issued in 2023. Irion said discussions are being held to have artists or graphic designers “come in to participate in designing the next plate for 2023.” The intention is to get the public involved.
In the meantime, the Tax Administration has begun the process of seeking prospective bidders to deliver the 2023 number plates. The aim is to award the project to deliver the plates ultimately on or before Tuesday, June 7.
The idea is for motorists to continue to use their 2023 number plates, once the QR code stickers are introduced in 2024. After this, number plates will only be changed if there is a need to do so, such as if, for example, authorities notice that they are eroding. Stickers will be changed annually. Irion and his team are hoping to start the testing phase of the stickers, which will replace the annual changing of number plates, in May of this year. The ministry is hoping to implement the initiative country-wide by the year 2024.
The minister showed the first and second prototypes of the stickers during a meeting with the media on Tuesday. The second prototype is smaller in size than the first. The QR code on the sticker, once scanned, can be easily read to determine whether a motorist is up to date in his or her motor vehicle tax payments. It also shows information on the vehicle, such as the make and model and its owner.
All government vehicles with the exception of fire trucks, will be part of the testing phase of the initiative. A number of fake stickers will also be introduced to gauge the efficacy of the initiative.
A special app was developed to read the stickers. A number of designated police officers will have access to the app to be able to conduct the testing of the QR code stickers over a six-week period. Kinks discovered in the testing phase will be ironed out.
The current cost that motorists pay for plates is not expected to be changed once the stickers are introduced. The intention is also to offer motorists an option to have their stickers delivered to their home once payment is made online as opposed to having to physically pick them up.
The same QR code system that was developed for the European Union’s Digital COVID Certificate is being used for the stickers.
Irion is hoping to have heavy fines for persons who attempt to falsify the QR codes.
