Dear Editor,
Over the past two weeks in Region 3, a car ran into the Boerasirie Creek (EBE), one into Silk Cotton trench at Zeelugt (EBE), one into the Canal No 2 Polder trench (WBD) and two into the trench at Plantain Walk (WBD). Lives were lost senselessly, and the last one involved two cars at 4.49 pm in a busy area not far from the Vreed-en-Hoop Police Station. Mr Ian Amsterdam is the present Traffic Chief, and since attaining that post I haven’t seen any improvement in regard to traffic; there has been no mechanism put in place or ideas from him about how to deal with the everyday chaos, and I wonder when the Traffic Department will get serious about curbing these accidents.
I have penned numerous letters regarding road accidents, and have offered a few suggestions because I honestly believe that way too many lives are being lost as a result of accidents, in addition to which I have appealed for a vibrant traffic chief. Over the years, photos featuring the 45 bus park have been carried in both Kaieteur News and Stabroek News as well as in the electronic media, and to date the madness is still being practised there. Does the Guyana Police Force have enough breathalysers, and if not, is the Traffic Chief trying to obtain more? If you visit most bars in this country you will observe people consuming alcohol many of whom drive away when they’ve finished. Why can’t the traffic officers stake out those bars randomly? In Vreed-en-Hoop there is a bar and during the day vehicles could be seen lined up on both sides of the road, while Pouderoyen (WBD) has a bar that causes a traffic jam on the weekends. These places are not far from the Vreed-en-Hoop Police Station. I must admit that I have noticed a few drivers being charged and fined at the Leonora Magistrate’s Court, but I believe that many are escaping prosecution. The Traffic Chief gives the appearance of not having any plans to address these issues.
Yours faithfully,
Sahadeo Bates