Dear Editor,
It is with great disappointment and disrespect which I encountered at the Demerara Harbour Bridge junction, West Bank of Demerara, on Wednesday, November 16, 2016 at 07:30h that I write this letter to report a specific Traffic Police Officer.
This Officer, who as every citizen of Guyana is aware, is there to serve and protect, unless I am ignorant of the Laws of Guyana. I along with other commuters traverse this bridge and have to deal with the chaotic traffic on a daily basis; both in the morning and afternoon hours. One would like to think that these officers are facilitating the smooth flow of traffic and would direct the traffic in a professional manner.
This however, is not so! This particular morning, I was coming from the West Bank Demerara traffic where vehicles were still being allowed to join the line before the bridge. There was a 30-seater bus in front and two private cars behind mine. The Officer allowed the bus in front of me to pass and then pulled the steal barricade blocking me from passing. He further directed me to join the Schoonard line of traffic then pulling the steel barricade again, allowing the other two private cars who were behind me to proceed and join the line just before approaching the bridge. Is this not being disrespectful to me??? I am appalled at the sickening behaviour by this Officer.
In addition to his behaviour, his other colleagues (Traffic Officers) standing less than a stone’s throw away from him had nothing to say concerning the issue. I asked him why he is being so disrespectful to me. He stated in a loud and disgusted tone that I should take a picture of him. I would have done so; however, I was given a pass by a public spirited citizen (another driver) to join the line from Schoonard. I am requesting that this said Police Officer stationed at the La Grange Police station be given a stern warning as to how to conduct himself when he is on duty. It is utmost disrespectful, especially to female drivers when male drivers are allowed to proceed and female drivers are blocked from passing through the same traffic. Ongoing training needs to be done for the Guyana Police Force to comprehend what gender equality is. I felt insulted, disrespected, and embarrassed to have been in the line and literally got thrown out to struggle to join another line whilst other vehicles were allowed to pass.
Sincerely,
A disgusted female
driver
