Law yet to be amended to allow diplomats, Govt officials to use sirens – Benn

Government had, in February 2023, hinted at enacting an amendment to the law that would have resulted in diplomats and senior Government officials being allowed to use sirens and flashing lights on their vehicles; however, to date, this is yet to be done.
Prompted by Guyana Times for an update on the status of this amendment, Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn has said, “I think it’s still being looked at…there is basically no objection for particular heads of agencies in terms of minister or diplomats, but there’re still some details to be worked out.”
However, he mentioned being positive that, within a couple of months, this amendment would be completed.
“I think (that) within a couple of months we’ll have full clearance. However, the discussion about the law should have been finished already, but we’ll get that tidied up,” he disclosed.
Amidst this disclosure, he relayed the current status of the situation: “Well, there’s not a law as such, there’s a regulation…I think there’s some discretion in relation to how it may be used in relation to safety and response dispatch.”
Benn had, in 2023, announced the amendment after questions had been raised by members of the Opposition.
The current law stipulates that only emergency vehicles, which comprise those of the Guyana Police Force, the Fire Service, and ambulances, are allowed to carry sirens and flashing lights. Any other vehicle with such appliances is so outfitted in breach of the law. However, due to increased traffic in the city, Minister Benn informed the committee, diplomats and senior Government officials have been allowed to use these appliances in some instances.
“All members of the diplomatic corps are required to have the light, both on the vehicle of the Ambassador or the High Commissioner and perhaps on an escort vehicle… We have to tweak the legislation to take account of the changed situation. We have more traffic on the road, and people can’t get to where they want in time or when there’s a situation, but we have to deal with that issue,” Minister Benn highlighted.
Concern had been expressed in 2023 that several persons had been misusing these appliances in a countrywide manner; and Minister Benn had said, “It has become unfortunate, through some stores in the city and other places, that police-type lights are available for sale, and people put them up and misuse them.”
Other officials of the GPF have, in early 2024, also raised concerns about drivers illegally using sirens as a means of evading traffic. One such official is Traffic Chief Mahendra Singh, who asserted that a worrying trend has emerged, with private citizens installing these devices on their vehicles, which they use in mimicking emergency vehicles and potentially causing confusion and danger on the roads. Superintendent Singh has made known his firm stance on the gravity of this issue.