Dear Editor,
I gave been in the trucking for hire business for over 20 years. I have had an excellent safety record and take my responsibility seriously and in compliance with the law. I was always permitted to carry two persons (owner of goods) with me in the front seat and five porters as deemed necessary in the tray.
It was brought to my attention during the renewal of my goods transportation permit that no vehicle will be allowed to carry porters in the tray. The new regulation states:-
“Except with the written permission of the prescribed authority and in accordance therewith there shall not be carried in any motor lorry any persons other than such number as the seating accommodation in the cab of such vehicle would permit.”
I inquired about criteria for written permission and who could be entitled to such permission.
The senior officer of the traffic division of the Lenora Police Station declared that his instructions are no one will be permitted to be in the tray of any motor vehicle.
What this new regulation is saying is that farmers must get a taxi to take farm workers to the farmland, and fishermen and vendors must do the same in relation to the market.
What this new regulation means is that there will be no more Mashramani, Indian Immigration, and Deepavali motorcades, just to name a few.
What this new regulation will create is more avenues for corruption in the Guyana Police Force.
In times like these when the world is struggling to cope with high transportation, fuel and energy costs, Guyana is heading backwards. This new regulation, I believe, will create tremendous economic hardship and difficulty for this entire country. It will definitely have adverse effects on commerce and our traditions.
The Private Sector Commission, the Georgetown Chambers of Commerce and the Guyana Manufacturers Association have all been advocating that businesses maximize their resources and become competitive. This is the time for these organizations to provide solid representation and ensure that in future any such regulation is properly scrutinized.
Yours faithfully,
C Woolford
