44 There's someone out there producing my name and address and I’m getting blamed for it.9¥ _A NORTH Vancouver man, who is being denied a new driver’s licence while an im- poster in possession of his stolen licence collects traffic “tickets in his name, wants ‘the police to detain people who fail to produce valid drivers’ licences. By Sur] Rattan News Reporter Tony Baichu said he has had nothing but grief since he began to ‘receive traffic tickets in the mail. _ ..Baichu said his car was broken into last year. Among the items stolen was his wallet. It- contained his driver’s licence. His driver's licence recently ex- ~ pired. When he attempted to obtain a new onc from the Motor Vehicles Branch in North Vancouver, staff told him he would be denied a new licence: until he paid out- Standing fines on three traffic tickets. But Baichu said the tickets are’ not his. When asked to produce a ‘driver’ s licence, the imposter tells A NEWS photo Cindy Goodman NORTH VANCOUVER resident Tony Baichu shows a copy of his expired driver's iIlcence and 2 war- ning fetter from the Motor Vehicles Branch. The ietter informs him that he will not receive a new licence until he pays traffic fines he has received from an imposter using his name. the police officer that he has left his licence at home. The person then tells the police his name is Tony Baichu and also gives them Baichu’s address and the. number of Baichu’s last licence. Baichu said the imposter has collected three traffic tickets in his name. He was informed by a motor vehicle. branch employee that for each ticket in his name he must find the police officer who issued the ticket. The officer must then write the motor vehicle branch saying the person stopped for the traffic violation was not Baichu. Until then, Baichu will be denied a new driver's licence. ‘*l’ve had to take time off work twice to go and find the police officer who issued the first ticket. There’s someone out there pro- ducing my name and address and I'm getting blamed for it. “T think there has to be a better way. If someone can’t produce a driver’s licence they should be detained until someone can come and identify them. A driver's licence has no business being at home,” said Baichu. He said the person who has been using his name and address is getting tickets in his name while driving someone else's car. “How can anyone claim to be someone else and the police don’t check into their identity? I've had so much hassle with all of. this stuff. This guy will keep doing: it and I'm being faced with all this hassle und frustration,’’ said Baichu. Input sought on future of First Narrows Should 55-year-old Lions Gate Bridge structure be repaired or rebuilt? THE PROVINCIAL gov- ernment has opened a public information centre to obtain public input on what should ,_. be done with the Lions Gate ~ Bridge. Transportation and Highways Minister Art Charbonneau said opening of the Lions Gate Cross- ing Public -Information Centre begins the government’s public in- volvement and information pro- cess..to answer the question of whether the 55-year-old bridge Should be repaired or rebuilt. _ Charbonneau said the process _ includes five components: .@ a public information centre to receive proposals and provide the pubiic with information; @ a community focus group to . assess the proposals from a com-_ ' munity perspective; _.@ an agency liaison group to pro- vide technical input; @ direct consultation with the Squamish Nation and municipalities that would be af- fected by the final decision; @ public involvement. Catherine Atyeo ....... 7 BB Automotive ...........25 Crossword.............38 BB Ecolnfo...............49 oy NEWS photo Nell Lucente BETTY NICHOLSON, manager of communications for the Trans- portation and Highways Ministry, explains some of the First Nar- rows crossing options. The ministry has opened a public informa- tion office to receive feedback on future and current crossings for the Burrard Inlet. The downtown Vancouver public information centre, located at 330-900 Howe St., is open @ Editorial Page ..:. Bi Home & Garden .. @ Trevor Lautens .... @ News of the Weird Monday to Friday between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. The telephone number is 683- @ Paul St. Pierre ..... Hi What's Going On 8 Your Call....... GA Zap..........-. ..18 Canadian Publications Muil Sales Product Agreement Number 0087238 0360. Charbonneau said the com- munity focus group will provide feedback on a range of choices available for the crossing. . He added that the agency liai- son ‘committee, with repre- sentation from. federal, provincial and municipal agencies, will pro- vide technical and environmental assessments of the various con- cepts for an improved First Nar-. rows crossing. : Charbonneau anticipates that:a final decision on the Lions Gate Bridge will be made in early 1994 in order to meet a five-year target for planning, design and con- struction. The Lions Gate Bridge fi rst opened to traffic in 1938. Today, the bridge ranks as one of the busiest in the world on a per-lane basis, with 25-million vehicle trips recorded each year. An independent engineering study conducted recently for the province concludes the bridge is safe but requires a comprehensive maintenance program. The cost of the program could reach between $1 million and $2 million annual- ly. Weather Saturday & Sunday, sunny, Highs 23°C, lows 12°C, Us ser pay Services pondered by city council THAT EXTRA glass of water could cost you. And so could leaving out one more can of garbage. NORTH VANCOUVER CITY COUNCIL by Stephan Wisenthal User pay is the new watchword for municipal ser- vices in the City of North Vancouver. Assistant city engineer Hugh McKay told city coun- cillors Monday that: @ lower: water rates for high-volume users could be eliminated by the end of the year; ® unlimited free drop-off of refuse at the solid waste transfer station could | be stopped within a few months; @ by carly next year, resi- dents can expect to face a three-can limit on garbage left for collection; : @ storm water and sewer use may also be metered within a few years. McKay said user fees pro- vide a strong financial incen-— tive for conservation. He ad- ded that such fees work best where the benefit from .a municipal service fs not uni- versal, or when one wants to “throttle”? the use of a ser- vice. “Cutting water use could delay the need for expensive new facilities,’ he said. ‘At present rates of consumption, the Greater . Vancouver Regional District will not be able to provide potable water for an increased population without significant capital in-: vestment,’’ McKay added. But he warned: ‘‘The public have to be better in- formed (about the user-pay . policy). If the public see a bill that is separate from their tax : bill, they will want to know why.” Coun. Rod Clark said the: low. turnout . for Monday night’s policy committee meeting on the issue was not an indication of -its’ impor- tance. “What we're. talking about is revolution. Once the public hears about this we're’ going to hear a lot more,’ he said. And Clark said: ‘‘If we limit ourselves to three cans (of garbage -for collection) then there will be a certain amount that. will go: to unauthorized dumping.”’ Coun. Stella Jo Dean said ‘that in Nanaimo, a user-pay - ‘scheme led to “‘ravines and highways and byways’’ full of garbage, which cost more to ‘clean up than it would have cost to collect. “You're going to find drywall and .you’re going to find fridges in the ravines.’ I have a great problem with this user pay,”’ she said. Dean added: ‘On ‘the North Shore, we’re renowned for the beauty of our shrubs and trees. I fear that if. water were metered, then.; many shrubs and gardens would be neglected.’’ Coun. Bill. Bell said, “These user-pay “concepts could be a tax grab under the guise of conservation.””