By Clifford Stanley

NEIGHBOURHOOD Democratic Councils (NDCs) in Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne) are being asked to take resolute action to rid the road shoulders in their villages of abandoned vehicles.Abandoned vehicles include derelict motor cars, combine harvesters, even bulldozers and tractors and trailers left on the road shoulders. These vehicles pose a major threat to other road users, particularly motorists, who may have to take their vehicles off the road and onto the shoulders in an emergency.

Concerned citizens are calling on the owners of these vehicles to place them where they do not pose danger to road users.

Representative of the Prime Minister in Region Six, Gobin Harbhajan, recently discussed this situation with a number of NDCs in the region. Harbhajan said the situation is an age-old problem, and that many lives have been lost due to in use vehicles colliding with abandoned vehicles, which occur when motorists are forced off the road in emergency situations.

Harbhajan pointed out to the NDCs that, apart from being road safety hazards, these abandoned vehicles give the villages an unsightly appearance. He said the Office of the Prime Minister is concerned about the apparent lack of will in dealing with the problem.

“We want to promote a clean and green Guyana; we want to promote tourism. This issue has to be addressed,” Harbhajan told the meeting.

He called for a concerted effort by both offenders and village officials to ensure that the road shoulders of the Corentyne Highway are entirely rid of such traffic hazards and eyesores.