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Special police officers to administer breathalyzer tests

Jun 22, 2009 News



–    names not yet with Home Affairs Minister
The controversy over the use of the breathalyzer will soon be rectified, as the Guyana Police Force is preparing to identify a list of officers who will be authorized to apply the test.
Although the law has been passed for the application of breathalyzer testing, the Police Traffic Department has been stymied because the list of officers who will be assigned to perform the tests, has not yet been submitted to the Minister of Home Affairs.
There were concerns arising from the reluctance of the police to administer the test to drivers involved in recent road accidents, after the bill to make testing law was assented to by President Bharat Jagdeo.  However, a senior police officer explained that the Traffic Department is supposed to submit a list of names of ranks who will administer the test.
These officers will then be the competent authorities to appear in court to testify to the printout that will be produced after the test was administered.
“We don’t want any and everybody administering the test. We need to have a set of competent officers to do so,” the senior official explained.
In the absence of the breathalyzer test, the police have engaged the services of the Ministry of Health to determine if a driver is under the influence of alcohol.
This is done through a blood sample test which is administered by a medical practitioner who can then testify in a court of law.
Home Affairs Minister, Clement Rohee had been provided with a list of medical practitioners who will perform such duties at a special laboratory from the Ministry of Health, along with a prescribed document which will be tendered in the court.
A blood sample test was done of a driver in connection with the recent accident at Providence, East Bank Demerara, in which a mother of four lost her life.
At present, only in cases of accidents will blood sample tests be feasible.  But as soon as the breathalyzer becomes applicable, traffic ranks will target persons at random to ensure that the problem of drinking and driving is brought under control.

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