Another killed on Guyana’s roadways

− Police maintains “Operation Safeway” continues to yield success

A motorcyclist succumbed to his injuries while receiving medical attention at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) after being struck by a minibus along Sheriff Street, Georgetown on Friday.

Dead: Oswy Crum-Ewing
Dead: Oswy Crum-Ewing

Oswy Crum-Ewing, 77, of Lot 79 North Sophia, Greater Georgetown, was riding his motorcycle on his way to work at Subryanville, Georgetown, but was attempting to cross the road to purchase fuel from the Guyoil Service Station when he was struck.
The now dead man received severe injuries due to the impact and was picked up and rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he died a few hours later.
He suffered internal injuries, a broken foot, hand and lacerations to the head. Samantha Duncan, a granddaughter of the dead man told Guyana Times that she was at home when she received the news at about 06:30h.
She was told that her grandfather was involved in an accident and was taken to the GPHC. Without hesitation, she along with other relatives rushed to the medical institution where she saw the elderly man lying on a bed.
Duncan recalled her grandfather attempting to tell her something but the words were not coming out of his mouth. She nevertheless enquired about the accident and was told that he was struck by a “greens bus” which was travelling South along Sheriff Street.
The driver of the bus, she noted, claimed that he was heading to the East Bank of Demerara to sell and did not see when her grandfather rode out of a street close to where the accident occurred.
He was subsequently taken into Police custody and is assisting with investigations. Duncan however, explained that her grandfather would leave home early and head to work. “He did maintenance work for some people in Subryanville,” the woman stated.
Crum-Ewing’s body is at the Georgetown Hospital Mortuary awaiting a post-mortem examination. He leaves to mourn his five children, grandchildren and other relatives. The Police are continuing their investigations into the accident.
However, although it seems as though fatal accidents are on the increase, the Police stated that “Operation Safeway” continues to yield positive results since its implementation in September.
Police in a release showed that road fatality is on the decrease. It stated that fatal accidents have decreased by 44.4 per cent, while serious accidents have decreased by 47 per cent and minor accidents by 21.4 per cent.
In addition, the Police stated that 4250 road offences have been reported, of which 1371 were charged for speeding and 1863 were tested for alcohol consumption, but only 274 were found to be over the legal limit.