Stray animals causing chaos on Berbice roadways

…stiffer penalties needed ‒ Police

Traffic Chief of Berbice, Superintendent Boodnarine Persaud is calling for stray animals to be removed from the roadways at nights, as they cause many accidents in Berbice, Region 6 (East Berbice-Corentyne).
Most of the animals, Persaud explained, do not carry brands and as such the owners cannot be found. He added that on the Upper Corentyne there are scores of horses and cows traversing the roadways which contribute to road accidents.

He explained: “If owners need to transport livestock from one location to another, they must have approved vehicles to do so. Because under our laws the pounds close at nights, most of the accidents involving animals where persons are injured occur at nights.”
Last year three persons died as a result of collision with animals, and for 2016, two persons have so far tragically lost their lives in similar manner.
On Tuesday, a Police officer collided with a cow and its calf on the Susana Road, Corentyne. The officer sustained multiple injuries including broken arms.
The Traffic Chief further explained that the owner of the animals is well known, as his animals are frequently impounded. He noted too that the penalties are not as harsh as they should be to act as a deterrent.
“Our law is not so serious, it is a just a serious fine between $5000 and $10,000 for suffering the animals to stray. Animal owners need to pay more attention to the safety of others. They need to ensure that their animals graze in pastures. Some of these persons are locking the animals in the day and releasing them at nights because the pounds are closed at nights,” Superintendent Persaud pointed out.
The Traffic Chief is urging cattle farmers/owners to guide their animals while on the roadways and to take the animals to their farms in the evening in an effort to protect roadusers.