My driving instructor offers a licence for a bribe
 

I have never driven before and Barbados is the country where I would like to get my first driver's licence. I have taken 60 hours with a local instructor, but still fail certain things: reversing-turning-right, reversing-turning-left-turning right and some small shabby one-way Bridgetown streets. Today my instructor said that there is another way around which is to give him 400$ to pass the test for sure. This is not something I want to do. I wonder to what extent the licensing system is corrupted and whether I would be able to find another instructor just to brush up what I have already learned and not to take the full course again and whether the current instructor can complicit with examiners to keep failing me for not paying.

Re: My driving instructor offers a licence for a bribe
 

There is a standard "Diss" in Barbados to bad drivers,,,"Where did you buy your licence" so I guess that yep this practice goes on ...for me the issue would be not wanting to work further with someone who may not have my best interests at heart..ie making sure i am safe both for myself and others on the road...I cant comment about the driving course with someone else but hope you find another instructor who makes you feel safe about driving...its an interesting consideration that people may be failing people to make money however in my experience the majority of bajans (or barbadians as someone informed they were the other day..does anyone know why the correction might have been made?) are honest decent people...let us know how this progresses as is interesting feedback

Re: My driving instructor offers a licence for a bribe
 

DON'T DO IT... I have the name of an instructor (hopefully it's not the same person you are using).. you might call him and see what he says.. The small shabby roads are Likely through the IVY (which really isn't the best place to be.. every) and everyone drives you through there when you practice cause that's where the examiners take you.

I've also heard they fail good looking women, and maybe men as well..just so they come back to take another test.. and another etc.. it's a real problem..

Re: My driving instructor offers a licence for a bribe
 

In Cayman, every expat fails the written test at least once. It's a money-making thing for government, to make expats pay twice. I guess Barbados might have a similar racket. Never mind; be patient.

Re: My driving instructor offers a licence for a bribe
 

Gordon, it's not just expats.. there is the written test that must be done at the start .. before you get your L plates.. and then the road test. they do the same test on everyone.. but.. some instructors are harder than others.. and as said.. in some cases require some encouragement to give the good mark...

Re: My driving instructor offers a licence for a bribe
 

I have passed my theory test straight away with 19 out of 20 correct answers. However, there was another candidate who was copying from a book, they took away the book, let him continue and he passed with 18 out of 20, and a young lady who came to the test straight from the Examination office and she passed with 16.

I have talked to my corrupted instructor to know the details of their "enterprise". He says he can arrange this with two out of six examiners, he could do this with a third one, but he is "moody", so he prefers his two guys. He did not say that other instructors are not corrupted, but just that he does not work with them. I am meeting with another instructor today to see what he thinks about my skills.

The Chief Licensing Officer is British, though. Curious if he is corrupted and involved into the scheme.

Re: My driving instructor offers a licence for a bribe
 

I sent you a message..

Re: My driving instructor offers a licence for a bribe
 

obviously how you persue this is up to you but as an expat living on an island where these types of things maybe turned a blind eye to your focus I guess is to secure your driving skills and pass your test for your own confidence..getting embroiled into who is involved etc may not be of benefit to you..in a small island it is often about who you know...even if you had evidence and took this to "an accountable authority" (good luck on finding one) I really doubt if you would make headway...I say this due to my own experiences in Barbados (with high up ministry officers) and that of others who stood up to be counted...your voice is often silenced as an expat...obviously you dont want to be involved in this shady practice so maybe leaving the driving instructor well alone and focussing on your goals is going to be your priority ...others may totally disagree with my comments but at the end of the day I have found Ex Pats to have very little voice in changing things and energy is best spent on doing whats right for you