Dear Editor,
The Stabroek News of March 11, 2015, published a letter captioned ‘Case study done on East Canje road speed limit’ by Messrs Dennis Pompey, Chairman; Earl Lambert, Secretary; and Colvern Venture, Treasurer of the Guyana National Road Safety Council (GNRSC), and was in response to letters written by me enquiring about the rationale used for fixing the speed limit on the East Canje road at 50 Kph.
Their response has been most unprofessional; no wonder the situation on the roads in Guyana is so chaotic. They said that a case study done on the Gangaram to New Forest road revealed that there had been multiple accidents, some fatal. I challenge them to produce the figures, for I assure them that their statement is false. They said there are twenty liquor shops on the roadside and more in the streets, another inaccuracy. From Gangaram to New Forest there are about ten houses along the road, there are no streets; on one side of the road is the Canje Creek and on the other side is cane, rice, farm and cattle.
They said that there were reckless and speeding drivers in the evenings when there is no police presence. This is not factual; police hardly go there in the day as only few vehicles traverse there during the day, much less the evenings. On weekends and holidays a few more would use it as persons go to the creek. But, using the argument of reckless and speeding drivers in the evenings, I ask, does this not happen all over the country? What about the number of liquor shops and clubs between Enmore and Ogle, where much of the road is narrower with no shoulders. Why this road is not 50 Kph or less? Compare the accident statistics of any area, say East Coast Demerara or East Bank Demerara or West Coast Berbice, with Canje and it will reveal just how jaundiced the fixing of Canje at 50 Kph is.
Please allow me to restate some points I used to show the inconsistencies in fixing Canje at 50 Kph. Gangaram to New Forest is a non-issue; Sheet Anchor to Rose Hall Estate is 2 miles, the road is 22 feet wide with a 5-foot asphalted shoulder on each side ‒ a total of 32 feet plus earthen parapets. There is no cramped situation or congestion. From Rose Hall to Reliance the road has been reduced by a concrete wall creating a walkway, and you cannot speed here; from Reliance to Gangaram there are no asphalted shoulders but a large earthen parapet.
I have never seen a police officer with a speed gun between Rose Hall and Gangaram, the reason being that it is difficult to drive fast; whether its 50 Kph or 80 Kph does not matter. But between Sheet Anchor to Rose Hall, the police are making a killing because they know that the road is clear and drivers will go above 50 Kph. At certain hours of the day pedestrians and even vehicles are few. Compare this with, let’s say, East Coast Demerara.
I implore these gentlemen to rethink and take a realistic approach and fix the speed limit at Canje at 65 Kph; if not the entire road, at least between Sheet Anchor and Rose Hall.
I had queried also why motorists have to stop before crossing certain bridges on the Corentyne, but their response did not address it. Those bridges are normal two-lane bridges, not located on turns, have no blind spots, and are not under repairs. Can this be explained; other bridges in the country with blind spots do not have stop signs.
I look forward to a resolution of this issue. I am prepared to work with them.
Yours faithfully,
Mohamed Akeel
