Dear Editor,
I grieve with the families who have lost their loved ones on Guyana’s roads. Over the past ten years, I have witnessed the lack of mobile traffic ranks on our roadways after 22:00 hrs each day. I have also seen the carnage, especially on the corridors of the East Coast and East Bank of Demerara. I must admit that I have not recently ventured much away from those corridors, but I presume that there is the same reckless driving on all the other roads.
I know the herculean task the Traffic Chief faces across the entire country, however, the mandate is his to keep the road users of our country safe. Consequently, he will have to deal with this matter with an iron fist. I can recall, even when we were police constables during the days of traffic officers like Mr James, Mr Bristol and Mr Rodney, traffic officers were respected.
This was so because those officers were polite yet firm in their dealings with the public. Sadly, today we are witnessing traffic officers who are pompous and rude and who display a lack of basic common sense. I am sure that if motorists are stopped, spoken to politely and ticketed if needs be, then there would be no residual anger at the end of the day.
When one speaks to an immigration officer, the level of politeness is of such a high level that it makes one feel that there is still some hope left for civil servants in Guyana. On the other hand, most times when one interacts with a traffic rank one is left angered beyond belief.
I often wonder if training in uncouth behaviour and self-importance are a part of the Standard Operating Procedures of traffic ranks.
The time to palliate is over. Let our taxpayers see more traffic ranks on the roads trying to prevent accidents instead of turning up after an accident has occurred. A more proactive stand is needed to curb this bloodletting on our roads. Let the public see that traffic ranks are making a difference by trying to save the lives and limbs of their fellow countrymen. The buck stops at their desks.
Yours faithfully,
Orin Major
