Noting that Guyana’s “horrifying” road fatality rate is the highest in the Caribbean, Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan is calling on drivers and pedestrians to be more responsible in their use of the roadways.
Ramjattan highlighted the situation yesterday at the launching of the new Guyana National Road Safety Council (GNRSC) magazine.
According to the minister, Guyana has the worst statistics in the Caribbean by far and is now competing with being the worst in the world.
“The statistics are horrifying,” Ramjattan told those gathered at the launch at the Guyana Police Force’s Traffic Headquarters, in Kingston.
He explained that up to the 31st week for the year, there had been 1,096 accident cases, compared with 516 cases for the same period last year.
Ramjattan noted that the speeding is the most common cause of accidents, while alcohol consumption and inattentiveness are also significant contributors.
As a result of the situation, he said, drivers and pedestrians must be committed to more individual responsibility as they drive and use the roads.
Ramjattan also voiced his hope that with the publication of the GNRSC’s first road safety magazine, its readers would help reduce the number of road fatalities. “If the minimum of an individual’s responsibility is to read it, be instructed by it and adhere to the contents, we are going to move some measure [in] getting these horrific statistics declining,” Ramjattan said.
The minister noted how helpful and informative the magazine is in relation to matters dealing with traffic on the roads. “Sections of the magazine tell us of the rules of the road and the national speed limits and it is very informative to that extent,” he said.
Ramjattan urged the GNRSC to continue the magazine, while adding that he, at a ministerial level, will plead for more allocations to the organisation. This, he said, he has already indicated to the council members.
Also speaking at the launch was Police Traffic Chief Dion Moore, who echoed Ramjattan’s concerns over senseless accidents on the roadways.
“We have already lost 84 lives on our roadways this year in comparison to 79 in the previous year,” Moore shared, while also saying that he too hoped that the magazine will aid in the reduction of road accidents. “I trust that it will serve as a means of spreading to the nation the value of life,” Moore added.
Among those in attendance at the launching were the GNRSC executive members, including Chairman Dennis Pompey and Coordinator Ramona Doorgen, sponsors of the magazine, representatives of Mothers in Black and traffic officers. The magazine, which is marked for free distribution, will be made available to the public.
