RECKLESS driving on Vlissingen Road by 29-year-old minibus driver Mahendra Moonsammy, of 177 Barr Street, Kitty, almost claimed his own life, the lives of 18 passengers, his conductor and that of the Editor-in-Chief of the Guyana Chronicle .According to several eyewitnesses, they observed the Route 40 minibus, BRR 6950, speeding past several vehicles before the driver finally decided to undertake a black Toyota Verossa motorcar, PSS 9909, which was being driven by Mark Ramotar, Editor-in-Chief of the Guyana Chronicle.

At the time, Mr Ramotar was in the process of turning into Lama Avenue, Bel Air (where the Chronicle complex is located) when the minibus slammed his vehicle from the side. Such was the impact of the speeding minibus that it went airborne before landing on its side and toppling a few times, then finally turning turtle.
Speaking with this newspaper, Mr Ramotar explained that he had his signal on indicating that he was turning left into Lama Avenue, from Vlissengen Road. He added that he did not expect any vehicle to be undertaking him, since it was very close to the corner; and moreover, because his indicator was on.
Ramotar said he suddenly felt an impact that caused his car to bounce back to the right as the bus went airborne, hitting a street sign on landing, and began toppling.
Another driver who was travelling behind Ramotar stated that the very minibus almost collided with him while overtaking him and then dashed in front of him to undertake Ramotar’s vehicle.
A passenger from another minibus which was also travelling behind, and which was seconds before overtaken by said Route 40 minibus, also expressed alarm at the speed the minibus was travelling when it passed him.
The young man, who was still clad in his school uniform, said that previously he travelled with the minibus but stopped doing so after observing the manner in which the driver was driving. He even confirmed that earlier yesterday, the minibus drove out of its zone and came to his school on Parade Street where it usually collects several students.
The conductor of the minibus, he asserted, was forcing him to get aboard but he stood his ground, no longer wishing to travel on the bus. Asked for a reason for his decision, the lad said once he was in the vehicle and observed the driver’s reckless driving; but when the passengers protested, the driver and his conductor were abusive to them.

Persons who are familiar with the driver said that he is an habitually dangerous driver and that apart from last evening’s accident, the man was involved in three other accidents for the year. He was also involved in several accidents last year, according to police sources.
That information was also confirmed by police sources that are familiar with investigations into those accidents. Additionally, the man was summoned to the Kitty Police Station and warned by police ranks there on his driving after concerns were raised about it by road users.
Meanwhile, in an interesting twist, the Guyana Chronicle was reliably informed that Moonsammy was involved in a fatal accident earlier this year when he ran his minibus over a man and killed him. Moonsammy was not charged for that accident and persons close to the investigation named at least one female police officer and a relative of the errant driver who is also a member of the Guyana Police Force.
It is not clear if the status of that investigation has reached the desk of the Divisional Commander Clifton Hicken or Traffic Chief Ian Amsterdam.
One person who was at the scene of the accident even commented on seeing the minibus driver: “Wow boi you should get a licence for accidents.” Also on the scene was former West Indies cricketer, Roger Harper, who condemned what is happening on the streets these days, thanks in no small measure to what is popularly referred to as the ‘the minibus culture’.

At the Kitty Police Station, where both Ramotar and Moonsammy were ordered to visit, relatives of the conductor and the driver became very abusive to reporters of the Guyana Chronicle and Ramotar after he was allowed to leave the police station on his own recognisance to return this morning. The minibus driver was placed on $25,000

bail.