THE Traffic Department of the Guyana Police Force, under the leadership of Senior Superintendent Ian Amsterdam; the National Road Safety Council under the chairmanship of Mr Shahab Hack, and the youth arm of the Seventh Day Adventist Church embarked yesterday on a massive road safety awareness project, wherein several pedestrian crossings in the North Ruimveldt area — which has several schools and a number of washed out pedestrian crossings — were repainted.Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle yesterday, director of the Everest Pathfinder Youth Group of the Seventh Day Adventist Church explained that, as part of the requirements of the manuals which they study in the youth group, the Pathfinders are mandated to do at least one community project; and her group decided to choose the repainting of pedestrian crossings.

She said the group arrived at that project in comparison to the other projects that they could have done after they had consultations with schools and children about the presence of zebra crossings in their areas.

She explained that most of the students were not aware of the locations of the zebra crossings, and that is largely because of the extent of which the crossings had faded.

Traffic Chief Ian Amsterdam and several traffic ranks were on hand to witness the repainting exercise. Amsterdam told the Chronicle that the young people’s initiative was a welcome one, especially since the Police Force is looking to have more young people engaged and involved in the voluntary promotion of road safety in the country.

He said the GPF usually welcomes with open arms partners who wish to cooperate with them, be it in their new community approach, intelligence sharing, or traffic management and road safety focus.

Chairman of the National Road Safety Council, Mr Shahab Hack, usually known for his very brief speeches, did not disappoint on Friday when all he did was commend the cooperation between the National Road Safety Council, the Guyana Police Force and the Seventh Day Adventist organisation.

He said the initiative shows that the church is looking in the right direction; namely, to ensure that steps are taken to preserve lives. He said the action indicates the church understands that the issue of road deaths, safety, and other traffic and road-use-related concerns are not just the responsibility of the Guyana Police Force and the National Road Safety Council, but all stakeholders also.

He called on similar organisations to adopt the approach of the young people from the church, and assist in the activities that would make using the country’s roadways much easier.

By Leroy Smith