Dear Editor,
I have now lived in Guyana for the period of one year, and it is my firm opinion that the streets of Georgetown, especially, have become like irrevocable raceways. And changes cannot be expected until the Government takes a strong stand. I have seen on display no speed limit signs, and very few stop signs. And the selected areas where ‘STOP’ is painted on the street, they are either in a state of near obliteration, or have been completely eroded. Every motorist seems to be always in a state of rush.
And every motorist has the conviction that to remove or take away the pedestrian’s right to use the streets is to simply blow their horns. You can hear a lot of horn blowing in Guyana. You can also witness that very few motorists actually stop when there are instructions painted on the road. They have neither a polite action nor regard for pedestrians. So when a pedestrian is using the roadway the motorist forcibly removes them from what is thought to be solely the motorist’s territory (of course, while blowing their horns). Motorists should be instructed that a driver’s licence is an earned privilege which carries rules by which they should abide, and at an intersection, whether there is a sign or not the motorist should use their common sense and stop. Many are on the streets without licences.
Many drink excessively and drive. Many are on their cell phones, using one hand only on the driver’s wheel while talking. Some are also texting, or reading texts while they speed. On one occasion I was crossing Regent and King streets above the demarcation line and was almost run over by a vehicle, that did not stop at the intersection.
The driver shouted at me as he drove by: “What yuh doin’ pon de road… ah never see a car in de hospital. Yuh mus’ be Superman.” There were two policewomen standing at the corner, so I brought the occurrence to their attention and was informed that they indeed saw the happening, but could not leave their post to pursue the infraction. What are the police on the streets for, to just stand there, and talk? I clearly can see the road fatalities mounting, unless all the stated negligence is attended to.
Yours faithfully,
Jorge Bowenforbes
