Georgetown : In wake of the recent figures released by the Guyana Police Force on road accidents and fatalities thus far for 2014, Cabinet has registered its concern over this situation, and has fully endorsed the recommendations of its sub-committee that was examining this phenomenon.
Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon said those recommendations include, legislative reform on traffic offences which means going back to parliament and enacting legislation, making it easier to prosecute, and in some instances, defining newer offences under the road traffic extant legislation.
Another aspect will include more sensitisation and public awareness. “The road safety campaign is of course ongoing, but more has to be done particularly with the observation of that significant at risk population, the pedestrians,” Dr Luncheon stated.
The Head of the Presidential Secretariat noted that some Cabinet members have even suggested the sensitisation campaign be taken to leisure spots.
“Much more sensitisation will have to be provided to make driving less of a hazard to other drivers and pedestrians, and then the third was rendering more effective the policing of the traffic sector, and some of the thoughts included more traffic ranks, the increase presence on the roadways and to whatever extent possible, greater enforcement of the traffic laws.”
As at the end of October 2014, 113 road fatalities from 104 accidents were recorded in comparison to 85 fatalities from 79 accidents for the same period in 2013; a 33% increase in fatalities.
Dr. Luncheon said those statistics, Cabinet felt are terrible, as pedestrians were significantly more at risk for the fatalities that occurred and are occurring in 2014.
He pointed out that speeding and driving under the influence of alcohol were prime contributory factors in this escalating road accidents and fatalities statistics.
“By themselves those statistics revealed how dangerous the roads in Guyana are becoming and when compared with previous years and in other jurisdictions, the comparison is even more alarming.”
Dr. Luncheon added that it is the Cabinet’s contention, there is no doubt that there are more vehicles on the road, and more drivers and traffic infractions were all increasing and playing a role in this depressing situation.
“Even more, Cabinet was counselled, was the fact that the PPP Civic road programme, an ambitious programme that has seen billions of dollars spent in 2014 for road rehabilitation, that also contributed, is thought to be playing a role in these alarming statistics.”
Meanwhile in response to questions about capacity building for traffic ranks, the Cabinet Secretary conceded that there is the need for such. However, he added that while there is need for improvement, there is equally the need for the quantitative factor to be considered.
“There is indeed room for both qualitative and quantitative contribution to the work that the traffic ranks make in this fight against traffic accidents and road fatalities.”
In addition, in response to questions about his view of harsher penalties being implanted for traffic offences, the Cabinet Secretary noted that while the sub-committee’s recommendations are broad-based, they also cater for such which have to be addressed legislatively through the National Assembly.
