GPF engages GRA to regularise use of electric bikes – Top Cop

Police Commissioner(ag) Nigel Hoppie confirmed on Thursday that the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) are currently in discussion on regularising the use of electric bikes (E-bikes) on the country’s roadways.

He made this announcement during the Police Officers’ Conference at the Arthur Chung Conference Center at Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown.
“The Guyana Police Force has engaged the GRA towards the implementation of rules governing their use… We’ve seen persons using these bikes, there is no age limit …we’re in discussion to ensure those things are regularized,” he said.
This is not the first time that concerns have been raised over the usage of E-bikes, especially by young children, many of whom do not know traffic signs and laws. The use of E-bikes after its introduction to the country’s roadways has received major backlash from many members of Guyana’s community of law enforcers.
Assistant Superintendent Raun Clark, Officer-in-Charge of traffic in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), in November of 2021 slammed the use of E-bikes on public roadways. Clark said there is no law the Traffic Department can enforce against the users of those cycles as he raised concerns over the lack of age limit in their use.
He had said, “What we find is that we have children using these cycles with no prior knowledge as it relates to the rules of the road, and they are using the cycles weaving in and out of traffic, which is very dangerous. One of the disadvantages of the electric cycles is that they do not keep any noise so as to alert other road users, including drivers, that they are approaching. So, what you find is that these cycles travel at a fast rate of speed, and are upon you without any prior indication.”
Similarly, earlier this year, Divisional Traffic Officer of Division 4A – (Georgetown), Deputy Superintendent Timothy Williams, had contended that the use of E-bikes would require the creation of policies that would need to be strongly reinforced to cater for those citizens who traverse the roadways with the controversial E-bikes.
“That is a source of concern, those electric bikes. Presently, they are operating unchecked simply because there is no documentation. These bikes are not registered by GRA, so they are operating unchecked,” he had explained.
The electric bikes, which gained popularity in Guyana at a rapid pace, started receiving backlash from the public after many persons riding the bikes had been involved in fatal accidents.
In December 2021, it was reported that 67-year-old Roopnarine Ramouthar was riding an electric bike along the Number 72 Village Public Road on the Corentyne in East Berbice when he allegedly made a sudden right turn and ended up in the path of the truck, which crashed into the bike.
Ramoutar was flung off his bike onto the road surface some distance away, while the electric cycle got stuck under the motor lorry, which continued driving before stopping about 300ft away.
Ramoutar sustained injuries to his head and about his body, and was picked up in an unconscious condition and taken to the Skeldon Public Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival, while the driver of the motor lorry was taken into Police custody.
In another incident involving the use of an E-bike, in January of this year, 71-year-old Carlon Windsor Barrett of Lot 32 (A) Victoria Avenue, Eccles, East Bank Demerara was crushed by a container truck. Investigations revealed that articulated motor lorry GZZ 6378, with trailer TEE 6391 attached with a 40-foot container laden with lumber, was proceeding south along the centre of the eastern carriageway of Water Street, Georgetown, and as it approached Muneshwer’s Limited, the driver alleged that he put on his vehicle’s right-side indicator to turn west onto the western carriageway of the said road.
The driver said he then felt the right-side rear wheel of the trailer run over something, causing him to immediately stop and exit his vehicle, whereupon he noticed the said wheel on top of the cyclist’s body and vehicle.