With the rise of road fatalities in recent times, President Irfaan Ali has charged the Guyana Police Force to organize a comprehensive campaign to reduce road fatalities. President Ali was at the time addressing policemen and women at their Annual Officers’ Conference.
President Ali further noted that “one death is too much” adding that reckless driving on the country’s roadways has become a bugbear to society, especially since there is pain and trauma associated thereafter.
“Yes, it is a function of capacity in terms of our infrastructure, and the number of vehicles, but it is also pure recklessness and stupidity from those who risk their lives and families and more importantly, it puts other families’ lives at risk with their reckless behaviour. This must stop,” President Ali said.
On this note, the Head of State called for more stringent measures to prevent further carnage on the roadways. “At the end of this officers’ conference, we must launch a massive education campaign, community by community, road by road,” the President said.
Government has already launched a ticketing system. Guyana Standard previously reported that the e-ticketing system, which was tested last year, is expected to bring some order on Guyana’s roadways. With this system, any traffic offender would be automatically flagged and issued a traffic ticket. This system, which is being monitored by the Guyana Police Force (GPF) has already caught over 2000 defaulting drivers.
Calls for the foregoing measures, among others, have been reiterated in recent times, especially when one considers the growing number of road fatalities for 2023. Guyana Standard understands that 38 persons have died so far for the year from 31 road accidents. From the 38 lives lost, there was the death of one child.
