Region 5 Councillor calls for mechanisms to be in place to make roads safer

In light of the tragic accident that claimed the lives of five people on Wednesday, Deputy Regional Executive Officer (DREO) of Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) Sherwin Wellington has challenged Councillors to ensure mechanisms are in place to make the roads safer.

“I was on-site [at the accident] and it was not a nice scene, people were screaming. We have to put a stop to this because one of our medics, in fact, two health professionals — a medic and a nurse who was pregnant— both lost their lives”.
The medic was nine months pregnant. Both she and her unborn child perished.
As such, Wellington explained that the Administration had planned to have its Christmas party on December 23 but it will be rescheduled.
“We cannot have a party when our staff is mourning,” he said.
Meanwhile, acting Regional Chairman Rian Peters also noted that the RDC has lost one of its former members.
Seechan Chandilall, who was the driver of the minibus involved in Wednesday’s accident, previously served as a People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Councillor on the RDC. The house observed one minute of silence in honour of the former Councillor.
Wellington reiterated that too many lives are being lost on the roadways as a result of irresponsible driving. This, he said, is the main cause for road deaths because the drivers are using the roads as a race track.
“I am concerned and I know that we need to do something to send a message to the drivers. Only recently on social media, we saw a driver and a conductor behaving in a lawless manner; fortunately, they were charged and placed before the court for their behaviour.
Those of us who travel in minibuses which might be overloaded and you’re not comfortable should get out of the bus. Ask the driver to slow down if the bus is going too speed. If they don’t want to reduce the speed it is your right to get off the bus and report the matter to the Police,” Wellington related.
Meanwhile, coalition Councillor Dillon Crawford called for the grieving families to receive support.
On Wednesday, persons were killed and four others seriously injured following a collision between a minibus and a lorry on the Fairfield Public Road, Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara (ECD).
Dead are minibus driver Seechan Chandilall, 48, of Lot 102 Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice; Keon Sealey, 33, of Farm, Mahaicony; Alana Vaughn, 31, of Farm, Mahaicony, Ewart Reynlods, 64, of Calcutta Mahaicony, and Maxwell Disreali Thom, 76.
Police stated that on the day in question, the minibus was proceeding west along the southern side of the road when it experienced a ‘blowout’ of the left side rear wheel. This caused the driver to lose control and collided with the left front portion of the lorry that was proceeding east along the northern side of the road.
Also injured were Cecil Gordon, 46, of Farm, Mahaicony; David Jacobs, 60, and Angela Jacobs, 15, both of Moraikobai, Mahaicony, and lorry driver Sherlon Wills, 46, of Helena, Mahaica. They were all initially taken to the Mahaicony Cottage Hospital where they were treated and then transferred to GPHC where they were admitted.