IN observance of Road Safety Month, the Guyana National Road Safety Council (GNRSC) on Friday held a press conference at the Red Cross building, Eve Leary, Georgetown, during which they rolled out their list of activities to celebrate the month.

The press conference collectively called for stiffer penalties for drunk drivers associated with road fatalities as they observe the month under the theme: “The time is now, don’t drink and drive. Drive defensively.”

At the head table, GNRSC Chairman, Dennis Pompey, said the National Road Safety Association has its presence in all the divisions countrywide; as such, they will be hosting activities to commemorate Road Safety Month.

Pompey revealed that for this year there were 79 road accidents with 85 deaths, including nine children; and for the corresponding period last year they had tallied 110 accidents with 204 deaths, including 13 children.

He disclosed that in Georgetown there were 15 road accidents with 15 deaths; of that number, two were children and on the East Bank of Demerara 14 accidents were recorded with 16 deaths, including one child.

Pompey reported that in New Amsterdam they had one accident and one death, while on the Corentyne they had recorded 10 accidents with 12 deaths, including three children.

He pointed out that there were 12 accidents on the West Coast of Demerara with 12 deaths, including one child, and on the West Bank of Demerara there were five accidents with five deaths.

In Linden, Pompey said they had recorded four accidents with six deaths; the Bartica/interior region had three accidents with three deaths, and in Essequibo 10 accidents with 10 deaths.
Georgetown Road Safety Association President, Victor Graham, told the media yesterday morning that they will begin their celebrations with a church service, re-paint pedestrian crossings as they partner with the Lions Club and other organisations, after which they will have a drivers’ seminar, and a walk in remembrance of road accident victims.

Earl Lambert, Secretary of the GNRSC, said consideration must be given to strengthening the laws, since some drivers seem to be getting off too easily. He gave several examples of road accidents which had resulted in the loss of two or three lives, as a consequence of drivers being under the influence of alcohol; yet the drivers had been granted bail.

He also asked that all road users use the roads exercising the five Cs, especially those who drive must be extra alert to exercise care and caution for others.

Meanwhile, the West Coast Demerara Road Safety Association Chairman, Shahab Hack, said that they will usher in their activities also with a church service and have several other activities to mark the occasion.

He added that they will have a training workshop at the Leonora Police Station on road safety education on November 16; on November 19, 300 pupils will march with placards from Vreed-en-Hoop Stelling; painting of pedestrain crossings and call for more persons to volunteer.

Hack stated that they will also erect road signs and will take schoolchildren to the West Demerara Regional Hospital to visit road accident patients; there will also be a road-safety campaign with taxi and minibus drivers to sensitise them on CPR.

In addition, they will conduct educational sessions at both primary and secondary schools in collaboration with members of the Guyana Police Force (GPF).

As for Linden, Carol Dougan told the press conference that they have a series of activities planned as well and will undertake a drivers’ seminar too, a school education campaign and painting of road signs and pedestrian crossings.

Berbice will also roll out their activities in both Upper and Lower Corentyne with an essay competition for schoolchildren, an outreach programme and painting of pedestrian crossings in that division.

Also present was Coordinator of the GNRSC, Ramona Doorgen, who urged more persons to come out and join them on Sunday as they intend to paint pedestrian crossings.

She explained that the paint was donated by the Ministry of Public Works and they will assemble at the Red Cross building at Eve Leary, after which they will be divided into groups and go to all divisions to undertake the painting of pedestrian crossings.

(By Michel Outridge)