IN an effort to find and identify the issues affecting drivers and to formulate new policies to boost road safety, Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee has been meeting  drivers of all classes of vehicles in various communities. Yesterday he met the drivers of East Bank Demerara at the Diamond Secondary School. The opportunity allowed the minister to listen to  drivers’ suggestions on how to improve driving standards and road safety. It also facilitated the establishment of road safety steering committees in the various police divisions.
Addressing drivers, Minister Rohee said it was essential that there are meetings with all the key stakeholders: those that make the laws, those that implement the laws, and those who have to abide by the laws, because each has a role to play with regard to road safety.
Meeting drivers is crucial since drivers have a firsthand knowledge of road usage. “You are the ones, every day, every hour on the road,” he said.
“Without you, we would not be in a position to have a better grasp of the situation,” he added.
All the recommendations made will be documented, prioritised, and cost-factored; and those found to be sound will be implemented, Minister Rohee told the drivers.
“At the end of the day, the Ministry of Home Affairs and  the Guyana Police Force can only do so much. But if we have you together with us, we can go a far way, he said.
Some of the salient suggestions included the need for more stringent measures and laws to deal with those drivers that misuse the road. The drivers proposed lengthening the time of impounding and rescinding licences whenever drivers use the roads badly.
The suggestion was also put forward that alternative transportation methods be used for timber trucks and containers currently using the East Bank road.
Both classes of vehicles were cited as being cause for road safety concerns. Furthermore, drivers complained that such vehicles cause serious traffic congestion and they destroy the road.
It was suggested that timber be transported on the Demerara River and a substitute road, other than the East Bank main road, be used by container trucks.
The idea was raised that a conductor’s licence should be supported with a photograph and a conductor should first be issued with a police clearance before getting a licence.
The call was made for more stringent monitoring systems to be implemented at the various bus and car parks, to deal with the issues of hot plate buses and cars, as well as what the drivers described as the ‘nuisance’ of touting.
Drivers also raised a number of road safety issues that fall under the Ministry of Public Works, such as the need for road signs in the Diamond Housing Scheme, levees to offload passengers, and more bus stops, as well as mounted bus stops.
It was also suggested that road shoulders  be raised.
Traffic Safety Officer in the ministry, Nigel Erskine, who addressed the drivers, said that  with regard to the signs, the Ministry of Public Works would work with the Neighbourhood Democratic Council to identify the locations in the scheme that need signs and this will soon be implemented.
The issues of levees is already under the scrutiny of the ministry, and work is being done in this regard, Erskine said
Assistant Commissioner, Commander of  ‘A’ Division, George Vyphuis, told drivers that the time had come to think seriously about safety.
“If everyone practises road safety, there will be less chances of road fatalities” Vyphuis said.
Drivers must first understand and appreciate safety for themselves, and appreciate safety for others, he said.
It is because the drivers do not care for themselves and care only about making money that they forget about safety and behave in such lawless manner on the road, Vyphuis said.
Members of the new East Bank Road Safety Steering Committee are Ovin Giddings, William Thomas, Colin Trotman, Fazil Zaman, Neetram, Jodonandan, Eric Benjamin, Ron Robinson, Matthew Farray, Wanda Corna, Hugh Denhert and Dennis Pompey; they are two minibus drivers, two hire car drivers, two private car drivers, two truck drivers, and one representative each from the police department, the Ministry of Home Affairs and the National Road Safety Council.
The committee will soon meet and establish an East Bank Road Safety Council.
The East Bank Road Safety Council will work with the National Road Safety Council in identifying and addressing all the road safety concerns of the East Bank road.(GINA)