Dear Editor,
I have been hearing plenty of talk in Guyana pertaining to international driving permits being issued. I have lived abroad for the past 51 years – seven in Great Britain and forty-four in the United States of America, and hold a driver’s licence for all of these places. For the past two years I have lived in Guyana and would knowledgeably contend that the issuing of international driving permits is a major mistake.
The majority of drivers in Guyana are incapable of driving abroad, as their idea of driving has only to do with their ability to apply the ignition, step on the accelerator and then manoeuvre the vehicle; they have not the remotest idea of road courtesy. The majority of them, if not all, do not stop at intersections if another vehicle is not approaching, even when there is a notice painted on the road that reads stop. They have no regard for pedestrians. When a Guyanese driver sounds their horn they intend that a pedestrian should run for safety on narrow roads where double parking is ignored by the authorities. I saw one day a motorist removing himself from a line of parked cars. A female driver saw this occurring and waited for the parking space to be vacated. But once this was done, she attempted to enter the spot by driving head first; she knew nothing of parallel parking, which is done by reversing into a spot, and so she drove off in search of a procedure which was easier. When a Guyanese driver applies the trafficator they care not if a pedestrian is in the way, they turn.When a pedestrian crossing is in use and the lane for traffic gets the green light, the cars immediately move. In fact they watch the count-down and start moving much before the light turns green. Also, very few use their rearview mirrors. All they concern themselves with is the vehicular traffic ahead of them. And so it is that with this knowledge of seeing how vehicles are operated in Guyana, I give warning and advice that the Guyanese driver would have myriad problems outside of Guyana with an international permit issued in Guyana. They first have to be trained and tested according to international standards before being issued with permits.
Yours faithfully,
Jorge Bowenforbes
