Dear Editor,
CRG offers our heartfelt condolences to all those impacted by the loss of the precious lives recently taken from us. Road safety has been an ongoing concern since the beginning of the transition from the TATA bus to the mini bus system. This may not be the reason for the fatalities in this instance, but one also doesn’t have to look far to see the signs encouraging over consumption of alcohol. Not one, but two bottles pouring rum into a glass. We must shift towards a safer form of enjoying our new found wealth. As a community, we should be willing to work together to get this problem resolved and to do so will require that we each make sacrifices for the safety of all.
With this in mind the government should implement a temporary curfew effective immediately at the bars and on the roadways. Additional traffic lights must be put in place to reduce the opportunity for speeding; and police road stops in high accident areas must also be implemented to conduct breath analyzer testing for alcohol. A campaign against drunk driving must also be started posthaste. To ensure that drivers are within the limits of the law, additional outreach and breath analyzer checks should be carried out at the end or upon exiting major events, popular drinking establishments and clubs. Bar owners can help by limiting the number of drinks a patron may have within an hour.
A designated driver program, which restricts the designated driver to abstain from drinking has been a proven success. In the absence of a designated driver, the rule of one drink per hour should be used. Taxi availability for those who have over consumed should also be a part of this road fatality reduction strategy. It is extremely painful for the family, the neighbourhood and the country when our loved ones are taken away before their time. Please support the nation and any additional efforts made to reduce road fatalities by taking your time on the roads to stay safe, and by avoiding driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs. Our deepest condolences to the Families.
May the GPF and the Government quickly find and eliminate the root causes for these deaths. It is better to get home late than to never arrive, so if you feel like you are losing control behind the wheel, stop and take a five or call someone to pick you up.
Sincerely,
Jamil Changlee
Chairman
The Cooperative Republicans of
Guyana