Last Friday at Guyana’s Road Safety Stakeholders’ Forum 2024 and Road Safety Campaign launch, Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn told attendees “It behooves us to pay particular attention to a better discernment of what those statistics tell us and respond with measures to deal with the phenomenon which the statistics tell us about.” The minister was speaking about Guyana’s high road fatalities record.
He Highlighted that between 2021 and 2022 road deaths decreased to below 100, it was pointed out in 2023 the statistics jumped to around 179. The minister noted that this has created a problem where Guyana is now internationally ranked at number 63, in terms of road deaths.
He further disclosed that in 2020, 5,699 cars were registered, with more already being in operation on the roadways. By 2023, this number increased, averaging over 15,000 vehicles.
The traversing of lorries, mini-busses, and pick-ups along the roadways also saw a drastic increase.
As one effort to curb misuse of the roadways the minister promised more attention will be placed on traffic during the weekends, and in the evenings.
Benn said he plans to consult Attorney General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall to increase traffic fines three times more than it is presently, to bring the situation under control.
Admitting the need for stiffer penalties to curb misuse of the road, the minister said this should amount to more sanctions and public awareness efforts, meetings and visits to people, and public-private partnership
He also noted most road accidents and deaths occurring among the younger population are males who visit bars and other places to indulge in alcohol consumption. The Alliance For Change (AFC) has called for the reinstatement of the 2:00 a.m. curfew as a measure the address the problem.
At the end of the one-day forum, which was held at the Police Officers’ Mess Annex, in Eve Leary, Georgetown, new programmes and policies were expected to be implemented to aid reduction in road accidents and deaths
The forum saw participation of private entities such as ANSA McAL Distributors Inc, and Unicomer. Chairman of the National Road Safety Council, Earl Lambert was also present at the ceremony. The 2024 campaign was launched under the theme ‘Do The Right Thing.’
