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$30M spent to replace public property damaged last year
– perpetrators getting off scot-free
The Ministry of Public Infrastructure (MPI) continues to experience headaches to recover monies spent on repairing or replacing public property that was damaged by reckless motorists.
The Ministry of Public Infrastructure will be hard pressed to recover the cost for replacing and repairing public property that was recklessly damaged.
For last year alone, the Ministry expended in excess of $30M to repair or replace public infrastructure that was damaged by vehicular accident or deliberately vandalised. This is compared to a mere $65,000 recovered from those who did the damage.
According to an official at the MPI, there were 51 accidents which resulted in damage to street light structures including the poles.
The official said that the government covered the cost of repairing or replacing the damaged structures to the tune of $12.575M. With respect to traffic light signals, it cost the government $17.494M to repair damage caused by 24 accidents.
The official said that while the policy is for persons who damage public property to bear the cost of repair or replacement, it is sometimes difficult to identify the perpetrators, especially since most of the damage occurs at nights or the wee hours of the morning.
“Except in cases where there is extensive damage and the vehicles cannot be removed, most persons who damage public property tend to escape,” an official stated.
A case in point occurred a little over a week ago when a police vehicle damaged a barrier over the bridge linking Eccles and Bagotstown on the East Bank of Demerara, and drove away.
Luckily, this newspaper was able to obtain and publish a photograph of the vehicle that did the damage; yet no attempt was made to have the police effect the repairs.
This newspaper eventually contacted Commander Clifton Hicken, who immediately ordered that action be taken to repair the damaged structure.
Only Tuesday night, a vehicular accident resulted in the damaging of a traffic light signal even before it has been officially commissioned.
According to the Public Infrastructure Ministry official, in cases where the perpetrators are apprehended, the court matters take some time, and still at the end the perpetrators will have to be taken before a civil court to compel them to pay for the cost incurred.
“Some cases are still pending,” the official stated. He explained that when caught, perpetrators are charged. The Ministry then assesses the damage and issues the perpetrator with a bill.
The person has the option to get their own contractor to effect the repairs or the Ministry will have the work done and then pass on the charges. If, however, they are not caught, the Ministry of Public Infrastructure will have to stand all the expenses.
The policy to pass on the cost of repairs to the persons who damage public property was first introduced in Guyana under the PPP/C administration.
In August 2009, government successfully piloted the Administration of Justice Bill which increased the penalties attached to the damaging of public or private property. In the extant legislation, the public property was only deemed to be roads and bridges, but with the amendments, it was extended to include items such as traffic lights, which have been a source of concern for many.
Prior to the introduction of the policy, a person whose car caused over $3M in damage was taken to court and fined $50,000 after the defence lawyer pleaded for leniency. But with the new legislation, another man who took out the traffic lights at Plaisance was forced to fork out some $240,000.
Since then, the Ministry of Public Works (now Infrastructure) through its Work Services Group, has been noting the hot spots for accidents around traffic lights, especially along Camp Street.
At D’Urban and Haley Streets, traffic lights there were de-commissioned after numerous accidents occurred because of a blind spot, as well as careless drivers.
The Ministry has been working with the police to submit a list of traffic offenders who failed to pay for damage to traffic light signals.
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