Police in ‘B’ Division are reporting success with the Guyana National Road Safety Council’s White Knight campaign, which was launched on November 5, in an effort to reduce road fatalities.
The launch saw traffic officers out in their numbers in Corriverton, Rose Hall and Bushlot in Region Five, manning roadblocks and administering breathalyzer tests to all drivers who were stopped.
The campaign launch saw the support from the local Road Safety Councils, Cops and Faith and persons from security firms at all the different locations.
According to ‘B’ Division Traffic Chief Boodnarine Persaud the campaign launch was advertised beforehand. Persaud who was at the Corriverton roadblock told Stabroek News that the campaign’s main aim is to stop citizens driving motor vehicles while under the influence of alcohol and educate them on how to use the road safely, whether or not they have committed an offence.
“We will do a breathalyzer exercise, if anyone is caught above the normal limit of alcohol then we will take action against them,” Persaud told media operatives who were also invited to be part of the exercise. “They will be arrested and charged,” he explained. He further said, “Apart from that we will do random tests with other drivers and advise them on road safety.”
The campaign in Berbice began at 10 pm. Over all five persons were found above the legal limit of alcohol and a total of 77 persons were stopped and tested.
At the Corriverton roadblock, 35 persons were tested for alcohol with two found over the limit; at Rose Hall 15 persons were tested with two being over the limit and in Bushlot, West Berbice, 27 persons were tested with one found above the limit.
It was observed at the different locations that as officers advised and educated citizens, they exhibited utmost professionalism. The White Knight campaign ran into the wee hours of Sunday morning as the roadways became quiet.
