Less than a month ago, in an effort to promote and enhance safety on Guyana’s roadways, the government launched the road safety diagnostic and action plan.
After four years in the pipeline the initiative was launched to help curb the carnage on our roadways.
At that launching in May, Home Affairs Minister, Robeson Benn said, “We can’t do this job with a limp wrist, we have to be stronger in the way we deal with the issues of enforcement, we have to be stronger with how we respond to the risks that are on the roads, the quality of roads and bridges, the questions of congestion in the city and on the roadways, as well as the casual lawbreaking in our country on the use of the roads.”
Over the past few weeks, we have again started to experienced another surge in road accidents.
The sudden and shocking death of someone close, especially due to an accident, can never be easy to endure. The ensuing excruciating pain and mental trauma that are inflicted on surviving relatives can be unbearable.
In a fleeting moment, families were plunged into sadness and despair after receiving the dreadful news that an accident had taken the lives of persons dear to them. That’s the painful result, and often its real and lingering impact may be hidden from the spotlight of the media.
The reality is that people, including those who survive an accident, suffer in unimaginable ways. The recent spate of accidents, and more so the one in which six persons died in a horrific accident over the weekend in Berbice, has even prompted some to ask the question, “How many more?” One interpretation from that simple question speaks to whether lessons are being learnt from accidents over time. In other words, how many more have to die before better care is taken while using the roadways?
Given what has been taking place on our roadways, one could not be faulted for concluding that the results of the accidents may not have inspired more responsible behaviour. There is uncertainty as to whether the mindsets of the regular errant drivers have been impacted; whether they have learnt anything from what were obviously painful experiences of others. Judging from what continues to take place on the roadways, it seems clear that many drivers have not learnt anything from, or are clearly refusing to even be bothered by, the harrowing fatal accidents.
On a daily basis, many drivers use the roadways in a very reckless manner, thereby endangering the lives of occupants and other road users; not to mention themselves. It becomes painful even to see how they manoeuvre their vehicles seemingly without an iota of care for others. Again, it brings into question the role of law enforcement to try and curb such irresponsible behaviours, especially since some traffic violations do occur in the presence of serving members of the Police Force. Many of those violations involve a minibus, motorcycles and trucks.
Importantly, the Police must holistically demonstrate that sense of commitment to genuinely collaborate with members of the public to collectively tackle the situation. This becomes even more necessary given that, generally, the Police’s image in clamping down on errant drivers is not very flattering. The pain people feel is real and crushing.
The Government had advertised for a consultant and the contact was award to IT Transports Ltd in collaboration with SRKN’gineering, which last for six months, after which the implementation phase will begin. We look forward to this action plan, as the pain people feel is real and crushing.
As the question of “How many?” is therefore relevant, and the cries for mitigating actions must no longer seemingly fall on deaf ears.
