I CRAVE your indulgence in giving me the opportunity of expressing my sincere thanks to Minister Robeson Benn for his timely intervention in stopping what surely would have been an accident of horrific proportion, with the potential for serious injury and loss of life, due to the callous and totally irresponsible action of a speeding minibus driver with maniacal tendencies on the East Coast Highway on Saturday, February 07, 2015.Mr. Editor, I was one of the passengers who had joined minibus BTT 249 at the Stabroek Bus Park, tired and anxious to get home to my family from work.

The conductor having placed a tout passenger in the already crowded bus, he collected his commission from the driver, and gave him a ‘hi-five’. The driver did not just move off, he took off, weaving in and out of the traffic, assailing the sensibilities with his vulgar music as he intimidated other users with his horn, and hurling invectives at any driver that was slow in moving out of his way.
We were approaching Ogle in what seemed to me like a couple of seconds after leaving the Park, zipping in and out of traffic, and zipping past vehicles of all descriptions and sizes. I was rigid with fear when he moved from one lane to overtake the vehicle ahead of him, only to be faced with oncoming traffic, which his only means of evading was to force his way back into the lane he had left in front of a car, whose driver had to brake hard to avoid being side-swept off the road. And in doing so, he had a close shave with a moving concrete mixer by inches.
A white cruiser we had sped past earlier, heading in the same direction, came up alongside us, lights on and horn blazing, and indicated to the driver that he should slow down and stop.
He pulled over, and the cruiser rolled to a stop some distance ahead and two men got out; one I immediately recognised as Minister Robeson Benn of Public Works, and the other as one of his engineers.
The Minster came up to the driver’s side of the bus and told the driver that he was driving dangerously, and placing other users of the road, the passengers in the bus, and himself, at great risk.

The Minister then instructed the minibus driver to drive behind his vehicle to the nearest police station, where he met the Sergeant on duty and informed him of the driver’s dangerous use of the road. Minister Benn then told the Sergeant to allow the drive to first take the passengers to their destination, and then charge him.
Pictures were taken of the driver and the bus registration No. BTT 249. The Minister rejoined his vehicle and continued his journey.
My heartfelt thanks, Minister Benn, for your timely intervention in getting me safely home out of the clutches of one of the maniacs that play Russian Roulette with the lives of the commuting public on a daily basis. And thanks, Mr. Editor, for the space provided.

PS: To the other passengers who sat timidly and passively through that nightmare drive, you all owe Minister Benn a debt of gratitude.

CONCERNED CITIZEN