PM saddened at loss of life on the roadways

Sep 15, 2016 News

….appeals for extra care by road users

Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo, has said that he is saddened by the deaths of five Guyanese as a

Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo

result of tragic road accidents in recent days.
Nagamootoo said that he feels a deep sense of sadness and hurt at the continued needless loss of lives. The recent deaths of three children were particularly heartrending.
“As a father and a grandfather I share the loss, the pain and the grief of all those loved ones who have perished on our roads…President David Granger and I, along with the entire Cabinet appeal to drivers, cyclists, pedestrians and all road users to exercise extra care and attentiveness while using our roads,” he added.
A release from the Office of the Prime Minister stated yesterday that the issue of increased road fatalities was raised at both this week’s National Security Committee and Cabinet meetings where an urgent decision was taken for the launch of Operation Safeway which will be conducted by the Guyana Police Force (GPF).
Operation Safeway was ceremonially launched at Police Headquarters, Eve Leary yesterday and will commence on the roadways today.
“Every Guyanese needs to arrive home alive. We all need to slow down. There is no place for drunkards behind the wheel. I support sanctions against persons charged with serious traffic offenses, especially when they cause injury or death while under the influence of alcohol,” Prime Minister emphatically stated.
He added that the carnage on the roads leaves so many persons in pain and agony.
“Mothers, fathers, children, brothers, sisters, wives, husbands and other relatives, friends, neighbours, classmates and work colleagues are all emotionally distressed by the needless loss of life,” Nagamootoo observed.
In recent days, five lives were lost in three fatal accidents while several persons were hospitalized as a result. Four-year-old Ambeka Trotman was killed on Sherriff Street while siblings, seven year old Tina Halley and 10-month-old Marvin Halley lost their lives at Blakenburg, West Coast Demerara on Tuesday morning.
Meanwhile, 23-year old Ramesh Rampat and 45-year-old Richard Ramnarine also lost their lives in a fatal Corentyne, Berbice accident last weekend.
Recently release figures by the Guyana Police Force report that for the period January 1 to September 9, last, show that 89 persons lost their lives on the roadways, a 10% increase on the similar period in 2015.