Though there is continuing chaos at many traffic light intersections, the government has scrapped its promised public awareness programme on the use of the signals saying that Guyanese are already well informed about their operation.
Prior to the installation of the lights government had promised that it would have launched a public awareness campaign to sensitize road users about its functions. However several months after the official commissioning of the lights, there has been no campaign even as many motorists and pedestrians continue to breach the signals resulting in some of them being prosecuted in the courts where they admitted having scant knowledge of the operation of the lights.
In an invited comment Transport Minister Robeson Benn told Stabroek News that there was a delay in the setting up of the lights and so there was no intention to continue with the programme as it was intended.
“At the moment I think there is a general feeling that we don’t need to embark on such a programme, it should have been done way ahead of the establishment and workings of the traffic lights and we have gone beyond that point,” Benn explained.
“We’ve gone beyond the point where it would be useful in the way it was envisaged and so we have to find the best way. The public is more or less well informed about the working of the traffic lights,” Benn contended.
Regarding the bidding process for the campaign, however, Benn said “everything took too long” and according to him the ministry was in the process of informing those persons who had bid for the project as to its status.
Vandals
Meanwhile the ministry has been forced to remove all batteries from the traffic lights following an attack by vandals last week on six of the uninterrupted power supply systems (UPS).
Traffic Safety Engineer Kadri Paris said the vandals have stolen a total of 27 batteries which were also hooked up to the solar panels attached to the lights, which together cost close to $1M.
The batteries from the intersections of Aubrey Barker and Mandela Avenue, Conversation Tree and Rupert Craig Highway, Sheriff and David streets, Vlissengen Road and Regent Street, Durban Street and Mandela Avenue and the UG Road and Rupert Craig Highway were stolen.
Paris said for now the lights will be hooked up to the Guyana Power and Light supply and so will be subject to power outages since the back up system will not be there until the ministry comes up with a more secure system.
Asked whether the issue of vandalism was considered prior to the choice of the type of traffic lights system, Paris replied in the affirmative.
“Dealing with acts of vandalism was always a matter of concern. Where the theft of the batteries is concerned I am not sure how they managed to damage the locks and get into the system,” he said. He disclosed that the police were working on certain leads to capture the vandals.
He told this newspaper that the ministry in the long term would look at the installation of security cameras but in the interim would try to strengthen existing security structures to prevent a recurrence.
Paris says that members of the public too have a role to play in ensuring the security of the lights and appealed for persons who witness any such acts to inform the authorities.
