Dear Editor,
The speed limit on the road in East Canje, Berbice, is 50 kph, and based on the following I wish to ask the authority that fixes speed limits to kindly advise on the rationale used to fix this one.
Canje is a rural area with no manufacturing industry, except GuySuCo, Rose Hall Estate. There are no businesses except retail shops located in the villages, there are six primary schools, miles apart and one secondary school. The road is 22 feet wide with a 5 foot asphalted shoulder on each side, a total of 32 feet, and then there is the earth parapet, so there is no cramped situation and no congestion on the road. Between Gangaram to New Forest where the road ends there are seven residences scattered along the two-mile stretch of road.
A comparison with other areas will show that fixing the speed at 50 kph is unrealistic and inconsistent.
Bush Lot, West Coast Berbice is 80 kph, but everyone passing through there would know that after 7.30 am it is difficult to drive above 30-40 kph. The entire West Coast Berbice is 80 kph; East Coast Demerara from Cove & John to Plaisance is 65 kph, and this stretch of road has areas where the road is not as wide as the Canje road. Some have no shoulders and in addition are much more busy and congested, since there are locations like Melanie, Enmore, Annandale, Lusignan, Mon Repos all the way to Better Hope.
So, I ask, if these areas, where you have to crawl, are 65 kph, why is Canje 50 kph? Of course, the traffic policemen are making a killing on the Canje road, because since the road is free flowing, motorists unconsciously exceed 50 kph. Imagine at 5.30 am when there is hardly anyone on the road, the policemen are there, hiding behind parked vehicles or shop fronts, shooting down motorists. Many times the figure they show you is not what you have been driving at, but there is nothing you can do.
Motorists coming from the Corentyne or over the Berbice Bridge have to move down from 80 kph to 50 kph as soon as they hit Canje. Many from Georgetown and elsewhere are presented with gifts of traffic tickets as soon as they enter Canje on their way to New Amsterdam, as again, since the road is not busy they don’t expect 50 kph and are caught unawares and there is no conspicuous sign to advise them of the speed limit.
A businessman from Canje was given a ticket for travelling at 51 kph, so instead of watching the road you have to watch your speedometer and hope you don’t hit anyone as it is easy to pass 50 kph on a road that is free flowing.
I am asking that if there is a reasonable rationale for it being 50 kph, share it, so one will appreciate why one has to drive at the speed, and our overseas friends will not say we are a backward country. If there is no reasonable rationale, however, then review it; 65 kph is more practical. Even the traffic officers agree, but say that they don’t fix it, they only enforce it and that it’s gazetted.
If the situation demands that you drive at 20-30 kph, you do so, but why be forced to drive below 50 kph when there is little or no traffic.
Esplanade is a one-way road with two-lane traffic; pedestrians do not use this road even during the day, yet it is 50 kph. Why? Of course the police are there hiding behind the fence of Oldendorff Carriers Inc.
The much busier areas of Fyrish and Albion are 65 kph, but Tain like Canje is 50 kph. Why?
It would be appreciated if the statistics of tickets issued for the year 2013 in East Berbice comparing those issued in the 50 kph zones against those issued in the 80 kph zones could be published; they may make for interesting reading.
Another matter is that on the Corentyne there are some bridges where you are required to stop before driving over. It is baffling. These bridges are normal two-lane bridges, they are not under repairs, not located on turns, and have no blind spots. I don’t think that there is any other bridge in the country where you are required to stop before crossing.
Can the authorities say why; if the answer is not reasonable then remove the stop signs.
Yours faithfully,
Mohamed Akeel
