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Acting decisively isn’t straightforward for some of us

Jul 26, 2011 Letters

Dear Editor,
Ever since I was a little child growing up in Guyana I always wondered why even by local standards traffic accidents and road deaths were always considered high.
It seemed that the only form of death know to a child of my generation was that which was brought about by a traffic accident.
Road safety programmes were always part of my upbringing and there were many interventions albeit modest, to make the roads a safer place for all.
However, I am now convinced that as a nation we need to review our approach to Road Safety Management.
About twenty years ago, I visited the residence of an esteemed friend in the person of Dr Hadalgo May Garcia, then Ambassador of the Republic of Colombia to Guyana. While interpreting certain events of the day for my benefit, he said that the government of any jurisdiction, territory or country has the political wherewithal to fashion any kind of behaviour it wishes in the people, so that the masses soon learn to surrender their responsibility to the government and accept what ever is given to them.
I remembered what Dr Garcia said when I read journalist Mr Michael Jordan’s letter which was published in the Kaieteur News, of Thursday 21 July 2011, in which he said that the passengers must take blame for the accident on Homestretch Avenue.
He went on to say that their refusal to speak out was in fact the tragedy. I am in total disagreement with his line of reasoning because we have a responsibility to desist from appearing to be victimising or hurting people all over again.
I have found that people don’t just wake up one morning and start to exercise their constitutional rights.
I am also of the view that Guyanese in general, but afro Guyanese in particular, have not yet developed an appreciation for advocacy, and this is not because of fear, rather we just don’t care- all representatives who advocate on behalf of the African community, whether political or otherwise, are aware of this fact.
In January of 1994, I travelled overland to Suriname, on my way back the launch developed serious engine problems, broke down and drifted dangerously with its overload of passengers and goods.
Having once been a seaman I immediately sensed danger and brought this to the attention of some passengers. I took out my camera and took some photographs in order to present a case to the T&HD, while doing so I was asked by a passenger what I intended to do, and replied, report an unseaworthy vessel to the authorities.
Several passengers, mostl y hucksters, became annoyed and said that they would not want the vessel to be pulled off the ‘water top’ because they have their ‘hustle’ to think about.
I reported the matter anyway, several weeks later. The very day the T&HD moved to impound the vessel it capsised while mooring alongside the Springlands wharf and it was reported in the media.
While other examples abound, this particular episode demonstrates how difficult it is at times, to get seemingly intelligent people to act decisively in their own interest.
Clairmont Featherstone

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