Improvements in safety and traffic management on the roadways continue to receive considerable attention as focus is now being placed on developing a strategy to regulate the operations of public commercial transportation services.
According to the Government Information Agency, Minister of Transport and Hydraulics Robeson Benn said consideration is being given to adopting a strategy that will enforce greater organisation of public transport by identifying crucial issues and using local and other experiences to address them. Benn referred to the operations of commercial speed-boat services which are regulated by the Maritime Administration Department; where operators are granted licences, safety gear is mandatory, a third system is in place and other regulations. He said a similar model is being considered.
The hours of work, recognition of operators, establishment of a point system and regular checks of vehicles are some of the issues being reviewed though Benn pointed out that the intention is not to supplant the work of the Guyana Police Force but to reinforce what is already being done. Other issues being addressed are the requirements for licences such as the number of years of experience, age of the applicant, regular inspection of vehicles and the special designation for operation as other than speeding cases have been found where drivers have been impaired either by tiredness and by imbibing alcoholic beverages and using prohibited substances.
