Dear Editor,
Every day I read from afar the tales of human carnage on Guyana’s roads. Each life lost is one too many. Families deserve better. I am a simple person. The initial answers seem easy to me: Enforcement and Education. On Enforcement, swamp the highways with marked and unmarked traffic police, tickets payable on the spot or within a few days increasing as time progresses, open special traffic courts, heavy fines and jail time (if need be)for transgressors. For errant minibuses simply confiscate the vehicle and take it to the station pound awaiting court.
Education. A simple points system. Three strikes and you are out-you lose your licence to drive. Name and shame – the police should publish weekly (and prominently) a list of banned drivers with addresses and car registrations. Maybe also offer compulsory re-education. I have done two tops ups instead of points on my licence for speeding. Benefitted from both.
Guyana now has plenty new roads, plenty new cars. Time for urgent government and police action to bring in sensible behaviour. Stop the carnage. Please
Sincerely,
John ‘Bill Cotton/Reform ‘Mair