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Traffic Chief shocked by last weekend’s road fatalities

May 05, 2009 News

Traffic Chief, Neil Semple, has expressed disgust at last weekend’s accidents, which claimed the lives of five persons, including one of his traffic ranks.

In an exclusive interview with this newspaper, the Traffic Chief said that Sunday’s accident which claimed the lives of traffic rank Trevor Bramble and three others on the Soesdyke/Linden Highway undermined the thorough work that the Traffic Department had undertaken to ensure that there was no incident during the Linden Town Week activities over the weekend.

“I was on the highway monitoring the situation for the weekend. We were so proactive in this whole arrangement, with the combination of the races and the Town Day which we knew would have been attracting persons from as early as Saturday,” the Traffic Chief told this newspaper.

“I was very upset. Bramble being a member of the force, working directly under me and imbibing then having to be traveling in a car, is a clear case of irresponsibility,” the Traffic Chief told this newspaper.

Bramble, Selima Mohamed, Ahsanti Gomes and Candace Simon were killed when the car they were traveling crashed into a park truck that was transporting a bulldozer on a trailer.

Ironically, Bramble was detailed to work along the highway on Sunday and was probably trying to report for duty on time.

Semple described the late Traffic rank as one of the hardest working and willing ranks in his Department.

Most of his colleagues appeared depressed at the Traffic Headquarters at Eve Leary.

But some were angry that their colleague could have sat in a vehicle and allowed the driver to proceed at what they have now established as a terrific rate of speed.

The Traffic Chief said that they have ruled out rumours that the truck was improperly illuminated.

He said that upon checking the scene there were visible signs that there was a reflector at the back.

He added that other motorists who had passed the truck indicated that it was outfitted with the required reflectors.

The Traffic Chief said that it would appear that the truck had developed mechanical problems and had stopped shortly before the accident occurred.

He explained that he had personally traveled on the highway on his way to Linden some time after Saturday midnight and there was absolutely no vehicle on the road.

He added that patrols continued on the highway throughout early Sunday morning to cater for persons who would have seen it fit to travel to and from Linden at that time.

He repeated his call for motorists to be extra careful especially after attending activities in the nights and having to travel long distances to get home.

“What we don’t like is when accidents like this occur and so many lives have been lost, everybody tends to get on the solemn side and when this period of solemnity expires everybody goes back to their old practice,” Semple said.

With regards to the accident at Ruby, East Bank Essequibo, which claimed the life of Ramesh Sookdeo, called Jerry, Semple said that it was another case of irresponsibility.

There are reports that the drivers were drag racing when they lost control of their vehicles and ploughed into a house.

Semple said that the police would continue their campaign to maintain the lid on road fatalities.

Last year the Police Traffic Department had managed to bring down the road fatality figure to a 10-year low and it was hoping to improve on this for this year.

But the Traffic Chief said that just when he noticed last Saturday that the road fatality figure for this year was on par with last year’s. Sunday’s accidents have increased the 2009 figure by five.

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