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Poor traffic management could have killed me yesterday morning

Jan 10, 2017 Letters

Dear Editor,
After losing my finance’ just over a month ago in a vehicular accident it is with anger, sorrow, confusion and tears that I pen this letter knowing that my life could have been taken in a similar manner. Just after 8:00am yesterday morning I was heading to the Ogle Airport. I decided to drive through Campbellville to join the Railway Embankment popularly called “line top” road.
The traffic light was green so I made a right turn heading east onto the Railway Embankment. To my surprise there was a vehicle occupying my lane. I was fortunate to halt my car before slamming head on with the vehicle. That’s when I realized that a reverse lane had been opened since the Railway Embankment, which usually accommodates vehicles heading in an eastern direction, was now only available to vehicles heading in a western direction.
Like the East Bank Demerara Public Road, the only other I am of aware of, the Railway Embankment road is subject to a reverse system which allows traffic to flow in an opposite direction during certain hours of the day. I was totally unaware of this, and there was no police rank or traffic sign to indicate what was happening.
Editor, I am desperate to know why the Guyana Police Force’s Traffic department continues to fail citizens by not ensuring their complete safety in this regard. The reverse traffic system is being operated without massive public education. While necessary to ensure traffic flow, this reverse system is extremely dangerous.
My fiancé, Harry Brijmohan who died at Houston on November 18, 2016 was heading home that faithful morning when he slammed into a motorcar occupying his lane. As someone who was not accustomed to using the EBD road during the reverse system, he fell prey to the ad-hoc and in my view and that of many others, poorly managed EBD road reverse system. There are no signs on the roadway, sometimes no police rank or traffic cones to indicate the changes. It was noticeable that the Monday following my fiance’s death the police saw it fit to place cones from Rahaman’s Park all the way to McDoom.
Editor who is responsible for ensuring this system works, are they trained in proper road management? I dare say that if this person cannot function he or she should be fired immediately and someone knowledgeable hired. To date the EBD road and as seen yesterday with the Railway Embankment, this thing is NOT managed properly. Up to now, why is the police not publicising these changes on television, radio and the newspapers on a regular basis, if they fail on signs? Why no permanent signs that say between these days and these hours, the traffic system changes; and not signs you read a few feet from where the system is being operated, but notification some distance away so drivers are aware of what is happening ahead.
Signs in the city indicate the days for paid parking, why not the same for this operation? The police noticed the need for change after my fiancé’s death, but never issued a statement on the matter, not even one that reassured citizens that all was being done to ensure their safety during the reverse system and also meaningful public awareness on when these traffic changes occur.
Reverse systems happen all over the world, why is it not being done right here? I call on those in charge. I call on citizens to speak up. Many are dying on our roadways, we do not want the State adding to the danger we face. The management of these roads has got to improve or else Editor, many families will go through the sorrow I am facing right now.
Zena Henry
Journalist

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