‘Mothers in Black’ takes a stand against wanton road accidents

May 08, 2009 News

In light of the recent upsurge in accidents, the group, Mothers in Black, is urging road users to exercise safety precautions and caution when using the roadways.
According to the group, despite the months of relentless visibility of traffic police and the remarkable 30 percent reduction in road fatalities there is once again a weekly surge of accidents.

“Even worse we are seeing the pain, shock and disbelief on the faces of those persons who have lost a loved one on our roads. To hear again and again a mother’s torturous cry having been told ‘yes’ her son/daughter has been killed, must not be called an accident.”
A release from Mothers in Black stated that this can only be deemed, in this under-populated country, another avoidable death.

It also said that speeding, drinking and driving, drag racing, multi-million-dollar trucks parked with little or no reflectors on an unlit highway, loss of life and the unnamed hundreds of persons injured through such incidences, are unforgivable.
“This carnage must stop, you who sit behind that wheel, think twice before you turn on that ignition. Think responsibly and drive with care.” Only last Sunday, four people, including a traffic policeman, were killed after the car they were in slammed into a parked truck near Camp Seweyo on the Soesdyke/Linden Highway.

The dead were identified as Candace Simon, 26, Selima Mohamed, 22, Ashanti Gomes, 21 and Police Constable19554 Troy Bramble. Those injured are Aubrey Renville, who was driving the car at the time of the accident and Devon Hector, 21.
The group of friends was reportedly returning from the annual Linden Town week celebrations when the tragedy occurred.

On the same day, a 26-year-old minibus driver was killed on the spot and his 27-year-old friend seriously injured after a night of drinking and drag racing at Ruby, East Bank Essequibo.
Ramesh Sookdeo, called ‘Jerry’, of Parika/Hydronie, East Bank Essequibo, died after his car slammed into a fence.