Police targeting ‘bottom house’ rum shops in various villages – Insp. Mingo

GUYANA Police Force ‘C’ Division Traffic Officer, Inspector Gavin Mingo says that his division has seen a decrease in the number of fatal accidents from January to September 2014 compared to the same period in 2013.
During a recent interview with the Guyana Chronicle, Mingo stated that fatal accidents have been decreased by 35% but there has been a slight increase in serious accidents which have been recorded at 30 % for the corresponding period last year.
DRUNK DRIVING
Inspector Mingo said that one of the issues of major concern to the police in the division is the ‘bottom house’ rum shops as well as bars where most motorists imbibe just before becoming involved in fatal and other serious accidents.
He credited the decrease in fatal accidents to targeted and joint operations between the traffic, general duties and CID officers in the division. Like in many other police divisions, these accidents occur mostly late at nights, on weekends and

early in the mornings, Mingo noted.
The police are now working to increase its targeted operations, especially at the bottom house and enclosed rum shops and bars since they continue to pose a problem. The issue of noise nuisance is also something that the police in the division are upping the ante to bring under control.
Among the initiatives to address the issues are nightly patrols which the division is currently carrying out, even as ‘stop and search’ operations are being conducted at various points to nab persons driving under the influence of alcohol.
BREATHALYSER TESTING
Over the last three weeks, the police hauled approximately fifteen persons before the courts for driving under the influence and those cases were made out owing to the use of breathalyser testing kits.
Mongo said that even in minor accidents, persons have been found to be under the influence of alcohol and that is why the division continues to see the issue of drinking and driving as one of its biggest traffic violations but this is being addressed vigorously.
However, the division does not have an issue with speeding, according to Mingo, and this is largely due to the almost round-the-clock patrolling, by traffic and other police ranks in marked vehicles.
For the upcoming Road Safety Week activities, traffic ranks would be visiting the schools within the division and conducting lectures on the proper use of the road by pedestrians as well as cyclists.
Meanwhile, the Traffic Officer is calling on all persons who witness accidents to come forward and give evidence against errant drivers because when the police fail to get the support of witnesses, the delinquent drivers end up winning the court cases and they then return to the road and become repeat offenders, probably even causing a fatal accident.
ONE WAY TRAFFIC
With respect to the initiative which was implemented along the Railway Embankment a few months ago, the police are reporting that the system is working very effectively. Mingo said that it takes the traffic faster off the East Coast and most persons, especially those travelling straight to Georgetown, are opting to abandon the main carriageway and use the railway line which operates a one way traffic system heading west between 07.00 and 09.00 hours, Mondays to Fridays.
When the system was first implemented in August, traffic ranks were seen at every single street leading to and from the Railway Embankment since schools were closed. Now that the schools are reopened, those ranks have been reposted to their usual duties in front of schools to assist with the crossing of children along the main road.
The embankment now has police ranks on motorcycles who traverse the one way stretch between Agricola Road on the East Bank to Conversation Tree on the East Coast to ensure that there is no road traffic lawlessness.
However, there are cases, according to Mingo, where some motorists would defy the present arrangement and drive up the one way. Such persons at present are not being charged but they receive a warning and advice on the objective of the system. In most cases they comply and are not usually seen in breach again, he added.
Photo saved in Graphics Folder as Leroy C Division Traffic

(By Leroy Smith )