Police to clamp down on lawlessness along ECD corridor

– stricter enforcement measures to be implemented

In a determined effort to restore order along the East Coast Demerara corridor, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) has begun intensifying measures against rampant traffic violations and increasing reports of reckless driving and pedestrian carelessness, which have raised concerns about road safety.
During a recent traffic management programme, Sergeant Kevin Leitch of the Beterverwagting (BV) Police Station highlighted several critical issues and pointed out that minibus drivers frequently stop abruptly to pick up passengers, ignoring traffic signs and signals.

This unpredictable behaviour, he said, not only disrupts the flow of traffic, but also poses significant risks to other road users.
“I advise drivers that once you see the signs, adhere to it and encourage your passengers to adhere to it,” Sergeant Leitch has admonished.
“Drivers, where they see passengers, they just stop anywhere on the road. I must remind you guys that not you alone using the road,” he declared.
He has also expressed concerns over pedestrians’ failure to adhere to traffic signs, they often being distracted by headphones and being unaware of their surroundings. This, he said, has resulted in numerous near-misses and accidents, as pedestrians cannot hear vehicle horns or other warning sounds.

A particularly troubling trend identified by the police is the minibus drivers’ disregard for traffic lights, he said.
Additionally, speeding has become a common occurrence along the ECD roadway, and this is compounded by instances of drivers consuming alcohol at bus parks before embarking on the journey to their destinations.
Leitch is urging passengers to report such dangerous behaviours, but has lamented that such reports are rare, as passengers often condone these actions.
“Without reports and statements from passengers, the police can’t do anything about it,” he warned.

“Another thing (is that) minibus drivers are drinking before bringing passengers up at the park. There are passengers seeing those things and boarding the same minibuses, and would not report it,” he lamented as he emphasized the critical role of community cooperation in curbing these violations.
Sergeant Rawle Charles, also stationed at the BV Police Station, has related that during the morning rush hours, which are between 7:00h and 9:00h, the railway embankment is designated as a one-way route to alleviate traffic congestion. However, he said, numerous drivers blatantly ignore this regulation and drive against the one-way system, thereby endangering lives.
“We would have to deal with them (the drivers) so that we can prevent any accidents, because if an accident is to occur, the person driving up the one-way, it can be a very serious accident”, he explained.
Charles further highlighted the chaotic scenes at the Mon Repos Market on Saturdays and Sundays, where drivers park their vehicles recklessly, often ignoring traffic signs and leaving their vehicles unattended for extended periods.
Despite repeated warnings from the police, such behaviours persist, he said, prompting the authorities to start clamping vehicle wheels as a deterrent.
“Even though there are no parking signs there, persons would go and park their vehicles on the sign… So, of recent, we have gone into action with wheel clamps, which will help us find the persons who are parking their vehicles and going away and leave them”, Sergeant Charles has said.
In response to these widespread infractions, police on the ECD have ramped up their presence on the roadways, implementing stricter enforcement measures. Sergeants Leitch and Charles have both reiterated the importance of public cooperation in these efforts, urging drivers and pedestrians alike to adhere to traffic rules, and report any violations they witness. (G-9)