Traffic ranks to target minibuses violating road service licence

GINA, GUYANA.

Friday, August 19, 2016

The traffic department of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) has intensified its campaign to ensure that minibus operators comply with their road service licence.

“We recognise that there are a lot of public transportation, especially minibuses, that have writings, drawings and other things on their minibuses,” Traffic Chief, Dion Moore told the Government Information Agency (GINA).

The road services licence for public transportation stipulates, among other things, that “there should be no marking, writings, etc.” on vehicles. Minibuses often times are decorated with advertisements, slogans, artwork and pictures that can be considered lewd and or offensive.

However, during the Jubilee Independence celebrations in May, enforcement was relaxed, Moore acknowledged. “There was an ease because of the amount of activities for our jubilee celebrations, but we’ve upped our task and we’re trying our level best to ensure that we enforce the laws as far as practicable,” Moore told GINA.

The GPF’s traffic department has been working to deter the climbing road fatality toll. For the year already, there have been 80 fatal accidents across the country. Ten of those involved minibuses.  ‘A’ Division has recorded the greatest number of fatality.

Speeding and inattentiveness on the roadways are primarily responsible for fatal accidents. The traffic department has increased its enforcement drive to curb fatalities on the roadway.

Meanwhile, a special task force has been set up at traffic headquarters to monitor via Closed Circuit Television Cameras (CCTV), minibuses and other vehicles that breach traffic lights.

“We monitor the CCTV breaches, and then we’ll have patrol ranks almost simultaneously working in the field to nab those errant drivers who breach the traffic light control signals,” Moore explained.

This is another measure being utilised by the GPF to curb irresponsible use of the roadways.