The drivers of large and heavy-duty vehicles continue to use the roadways of Linden in reckless and dangerous ways, participants at a special workshop held to address the situation were told yesterday.
“Some of [you] feel that because [you] are driving big vehicles, you feel powerful and greater that the smaller vehicles and you fail to extend the relevant courtesy,” Police Inspector Timothy Williams, who facilitated the workshop, told participants. “This must stop.”
The workshop was organised by the Linden Station Management Committee (LSMC) and the Police Traffic Department of Linden.
A call, which was initiated by the LSMC, saw approximately 50 drivers, including expatriates, from the Linden Bauxite Company Bosai, Linden Electricity Company Inc (LECI), and other companies operating in Linden actively participating in the one-day workshop, which was sponsored by Bosai.
It covered a range of topics, including exceeding the speed limit, faulty packing of goods, discourteous driving and maintenance of vehicles.
At the opening ceremony, Chairman of the LSMC and Senior Logistics Coordinator at Bosai Lethem Wilson admitted that drivers were guilty of breaking traffic rules on a daily basis. “I know we are doing a lot of wrong things,” he said, while adding that the police at Linden have been very tolerant and drivers need to put themselves in order. “When we ask the police for favours, it must be on good grounds,” he added.
Senior Personnel Officer of Bosai Trudel Amsterdam-Marks, who was present at the opening, challenged workers to share the knowledge gained with their junior staff and colleagues. “We know that what you will hear here today is not new information, it’s things you would have learnt as drivers but it’s to refresh your memories so you’ll do the right thing,” said Amsterdam-Marks.
Inspector Williams said that the refresher programme was a long overdue one, while noting that at a senior police officers meeting they were challenged to facilitate such activities to remind drivers of their responsibilities.
Meanwhile, the LSMC has a number of other programmes in the pipeline to aid the process of strengthening the relationships between the police and residents of Linden. “We know that we have a lot of police doing nonsense in this place, we will not give up on trying to have that corrected but we as civilians must continue to be good and law-abiding,” said Wilson.
By the end of this month, the LSMC will facilitate the establishment of the first police porter camp for the community of Coomacka. The camp is nearing completion and would have facilities for housing of police ranks in addition to operating spaces.
The LSMC was responsible for the recent construction of the Amelia’s Ward Police Outpost and the formation of the largest police scouts group in Guyana. Plans are also in train for the construction of a scouts building.
