Cops urged to aggressively pursue suspension of licences for reckless drivers

The Guyana Police Force is urging its ranks to utilise powers under the law to embark on an aggressive campaign aimed at suspending the licences of drivers of motor vehicles who continue to operate recklessly on the country’s roadways.
This was disclosed by the Force’s Public Relations Officer for Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), Leon Ferrier, during the televised programme ‘Road Safety and You’.
Ferrier revealed that despite the frequent execution of road-block exercises, the Guyana Police Force is still seeing an increase in speeding, specifically along newly commissioned road networks, highway intersections, and roundabouts. He therefore believes that keeping the licences of errant drivers within Police custody in conjunction with other procedures would aid in promoting safe driving on Guyana’s roadways.
“The Police Force got to be rigid in their campaigns. They ought to be more aggressive in terms of enforcement…I am agreeing with Sergeant Payne when he said, ‘Take away the licences, pull you off the road and ground you, and those who are found guilty and sentenced must be attending counselling and road safety school or classes’,” Leon Ferrier stated.
Amendments were made to the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act as well as the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing (Amendment) Bill to toughen up the penalties for drunk drivers – and the bars that serve them. Among other things, the legislative changes make causing the death of someone through drunk driving a case of vehicular manslaughter. The penalty for driving while over the legally allowed limit of alcohol in the blood system has been changed from a $7500 fine to now $200,000, and the sentence from 12 months to 24 months. The penalty for driving under the influence and losing control of your vehicle has been increased from $30,000 to $60,000 fine and 12 months’ imprisonment to now $200,000 fine for first-time offenders and $300,000 for second-time offenders.
A 12-month suspension of licence for persons convicted of DUI offences has also been provided for. Drunk drivers can also face permanent revocation of their licences.
Ferrier, who applauds the efforts Government has been making to update and amend legislation to suit the modern world, called for these penalties to be better enforced. He, additionally, noted that this must be a collaborative effort between the Guyana Police Force and legal institutions.
“This must be a collaborative effort that involves the Judiciary system; the Ministry of Home Affairs, which the Guyana Police Force falls under; and Guyana National Road Safety Council…I want to emphasize likewise, yes, the fines must be there to hinder arrogant drivers, cause (them to be unable to bear it). Bear in mind, sir – I want to say this finally – that to the gravity of the carelessness, motor manslaughter can be deemed a felony; it’s a crime,” Ferrier stated.

Road fatalities
Within the past 72 hours, five persons have died on the roadways. On Monday morning, a couple died and several others were hospitalised after a motor car and a minibus collided at Ruimveldt, Georgetown. Dead are 51-year-old Sarah Wilson of Samatta Point, Grove, East Bank Demerara (EBD) and her husband Rawle McKenzie.
Reports are that at 05:25h, firefighters and first responders were deployed to the scene in front of the Ruimveldt Police Station, Georgetown. The accident involved two vehicles, a blue Toyota Hiace RZ minibus, BHH 8451, and a Honda Vezel, PAD 2018.
The first vehicle was owned and driven by McKenzie, while the other was owned by Ryan Seecharran of Belle Vue, West Bank Demerara and driven by 29-year-old Pream Seecharran.
Wilson, at the time of the accident, was a passenger in the front seat of the minibus involved in the crash. Other occupants included 31-year-old Javon Bowen of Samatta Point; 58-year-old Lennox Clementson of Guyhoc Gardens; and 56-year-old Jones McKenzie of Grove Housing Scheme.
Investigations revealed that the motor car was proceeding south on the eastern lane of the Ruimveldt Public Road, allegedly at a fast rate of speed. While in the vicinity of ‘Top Point Store’, the driver tried to negotiate a slight bend when the left side front of the vehicle came in contact with a pile of sand situated on the eastern side of the road, thus causing the vehicle to become uncontrollable and collide with a bridge.
This caused the motor car to flip several times onto the western carriageway before colliding with the front portion of the minibus, which was proceeding north along the western carriageway of the Ruimveldt Public Road. As a result, the drivers of both vehicles and the minibus passengers all received injuries to their bodies.
Meanwhile, on Monday evening, three persons lost their lives in two separate accidents in Berbice.
Dead are Ricardo Bipta of Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice; Javid Mohammed of Fyrish, Corentyne, and Harrynarine Chattergoon of Toronto, Canada.
On Monday evening, a three-vehicle collision that occurred at Number Nine Village, West Coast Berbice, Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) claimed the life of 25-year-old Bipta of Bath Settlement.
Police in Region Five said Bipta was riding a motorcycle proceeding west on the Number Nine roadway while a truck was proceeding east along the same roadway and a motor car was proceeding behind the motor lorry. The car attempted to overtake the lorry, and in the process ended up in the path of the motorcyclist. The resultant collision caused the motorcyclist to further collide with the truck.
Bipta was taken to the Fort Wellington Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The other accident, at Courtland on the Corentyne Highway, resulted in the deaths of 35-year-old Mohammed, a barber of Fyrish, Corentyne, and 32-year-old Chattergoon of Toronto, Canada.
Mohammed was the rider of a motorcycle and Chattergoon was the pillion rider. They were reportedly travelling at a fast rate when they ended up in the path of a motor car, resulting in a head-on collision.
Chattergoon, originally from the Corentyne, had returned home three weeks ago, and was expected to return to Canada on Friday. He was staying at Mohammed’s residence.
According to the Police, the crash occurred at about 22:30h and involved motor car PAC 3786, owned and driven by a 47-year-old engineer of the Guyana Power and Light (GPL), who is also a member of the Cops and Faith Network and is a resident of Lot C, Section A, Alness Village, Corentyne. Motorcycle CM 2728 was owned and driven by Mohamed.
In a release, the Police said the car was proceeding west along the southern drive lane of the Courtland Public Road when, the driver alleges, the motorcycle, which was proceeding in the opposite direction at a fast rate of speed, drove into his path and the vehicles collided head-on.
At the time of the crash, neither the motorcyclist nor pillion rider was wearing a helmet, and both sustained severe injuries. Mohammed was picked up in an unconscious condition and Chattergoon in a conscious condition by the Police, and taken to Port Mourant Public Hospital, where Mohammed was pronounced dead on arrival.
The Police said Chattergoon, who received medical attention for trauma to the head and internal bleeding, was self-discharged and went to a private hospital in Berbice for further treatment. He later succumbed to his injuries while receiving treatment.