Feb. 2, 2005 – The Motor Vehicle Bureau's Sub Base office closed Wednesday after a backed up sewer line flooded the building with raw sewage.
Maintenance personnel worked through the day to clear the lines and were expected to finish late Wednesday afternoon.
Although the inspection lane remained open to serve residents, services such as registering of vehicles, transferring of vehicles, permits, etc., were not available.
"The bureau will be opened tomorrow." Sgt. Thomas Hannah, police spokesman, said Wednesday afternoon.
Hannah said backed-up sewer lines were not the only problem facing the bureau Wednesday. The office's printer/laminator was also inoperable.
"The drivers' license printer is not functioning, which has impacted the bureau's ability to produce the regular drivers' license in the St. Thomas district," Lawrence Olive, Motor Vehicle Bureau director, stated in a release issued by the V.I. Police Department. "We are making every effort to bring this printer on line as quickly as possible. We are in the process of procuring the parts necessary to repair the printer, as well as ordering new printers to avoid this problem in the future."
Hannah could not say when the department would receive the parts, but said once the parts come in the department had staff on hand to repair the problem.
Meanwhile, individuals needing to renew their drivers' licenses and people who may need a license for traveling were being issued a temporary one to be shown along with the expired license until the problem is fixed.
"It is a valid license, and they can continue to drive," Hannah said.
Hannah said the problems plaguing the Motor Vehicle Bureau might not be for much longer.
"There are plans in place to upgrade the Motor Vehicle Bureau, especially in St. Thomas," Hannah said. "This includes moving the Motor Vehicle Bureau to a new location."
Hannah said he could not specify the exact date for relocating the bureau's St. Thomas office but said it would take place "before the end of 2005."
He added, "That is a mandate to ourselves. We're all working towards that end."
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