Taxis should carry satellite tracking systems for safety

Dear Editor,

I am in pain and shock again for the senseless murder of a hardworking and ambitious Guyanese, who worked night and day to pay the instalments on his car and as the sole breadwinner, maintain his family.

This is not the first taxi driver to be killed for his car.  Many more have been seriously injured, some scarred physically and mentally for life.  The criminals have no appreciation for those who work, those from whom they steal.  If they steal and rob the drivers, why injure them?  Why kill them?

It always amazes me that people will purchase vehicles valued from $1.5-$30 million, but they find it hard to install a Satellite Tracking System costing maybe under $60,000 with a small monitoring fee monthly.  One could also have a panic button to alert the base and relatives by SMS messaging.  The map will show the location; it could be tracked on any smart phone or computer. If the installed method is chosen, the vehicle can be killed by the base or the relatives.  Even the personal tracker has a panic button (but cannot kill the engine).  It can be transferred from person to person, or vehicle to vehicle instantly without installation.

I hope this letter will educate taxi drivers, owners of private vehicles, parents of children driving, etc.  A simple device such as this can save lives and prevent a lifetime of heartache, guilt and misery.

Places like hotels, taxi services and airports should make it mandatory for all drivers to have such a system if they wish to work with that organization.  The vehicles can be tracked constantly for safety, and, the panic button used to send alerts if they feel they are being targeted or followed or if they are actually held up.  Car rental agencies, wholesale, manufacturing and retail businesses and manufacturers still do not see the merits of the tracking system.  Dishonest drivers and employees can also be caught.

I extend deepest sympathies to the wife and children, the parents and relatives of the late Rudranauth Jeeboo, and the relatives of all taxi drivers who were killed in the past, as well as those who were hurt. I just wonder how people can take another human life so easily.

 

Yours faithfully,
Roshan Khan