Guyana has the second highest rate of suicide in the world, a higher rate of death by violence than Mexico and is at 63rd place out of 183 countries in death by road accidents. These figures are based on per thousand of population and are provided by the World Health Organisation for 2020. There is only an occasional voice of concern raised about suicides. There are no horror stories about death by violence in Guyana, as there is in Mexico.
Yesterday’s Stabroek News headlined a news report that the Commissioner of Police (ag), Clifton Hicken, laying down the “riot act,” issued stern instructions to senior traffic officers to implement strategies to reduce the sudden increase in road fatalities. Eighteen persons have died for this year as against sixteen for last year. The news report was accompanied by an impressive photograph of the Commissioner meeting with his officers in a decorated boardroom with a shiny, rectangular, horseshoe designed, conference table, presumably intended to impress the public.