I had warned about the installation of these lights

Dear Editor,

While reading the Guyana Chronicle on the internet a few photos caught my attention. These photographs showed the dire situation of some of the traffic lights that were only recently installed, and I immediately remembered a letter that I wrote and emailed to the three daily newspapers in Guyana on the 29th November, 2006, before the lights were installed. I am sending a copy of that letter once again since my initial fears have now been confirmed.

Yours faithfully,

Janaknauth Panchu

Editor’s note: We reprint below an edited version of the letter.

Finally, traffic lights for busy Georgetown and its environs!

However, my only concern is about the plans for installation. Are these lights going to be placed as they were before? That is, on posts within easy access of vagrants and unscrupulous persons wishing to destroy them, or for an errant and uncouth taxi or minibus driver to hit them down? If so then this is just another project that will go down the drain.

I live in the Bahamas and I see how traffic lights are installed here. They are placed on stout cables and hung high above the middle of the road, well out of reach of persons who may wish to destroy them and at the same time above the highest vehicles that traverse below.