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Drivers’ licences being suspended once charged with dangerous driving – Ramjattan
Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan says that the process of suspending
Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan
drivers’ licences once they have been charged with dangerous driving has started.
The Minister was at the time speaking at the opening ceremony of the launch of the National Road Safety Action Plan for the years 2017 to 2019.
”The policy now is once you are charged with dangerous driving, you will be disqualified,” Ramjattan emphasised. He indicated that his powers end when the matter passes through the court and as such, he is urging magistrates and judges to follow suit.
“The power that I have is only prior to sentence being passed, that I can disqualify and suspend, not after. The magistrate or judge ought to have that power and they should utilize that power in very bad cases,” he said.
The Minister further noted that many times death by dangerous driving is caused not only by the carelessness of drivers, but also passengers and pedestrians.
“We are the ones at fault,” the Minister said, pointing out that, “If we as a result start also – notwithstanding all the pillars that we are going to implement – doing better at the individual responsible area, we are going to go a far way in reaching that 50 percent reduction.”
Also speaking at the launch of the action plan was Dennis Pompey, acting Chairman of the Guyana National Road Safety Council (GNRSC).
Pompey suggested that traffic ranks test persons’ alcohol level, and plans should be put in place to check whether drivers have used any form of drugs, whether medicated or any form of illegal item, to cause them to be drowsy.
Kester Hinds, an engineer from the Ministry of Public Security said that on an annual basis, the cost of road accidents amounts to US$13M (in repairs) and advised that persons take precautions when using the roadways. He said that when examining the road fatality statistics, most of the victims are pedestrians and cyclists—as a result of this, overpasses will be constructed (for pedestrians) in an attempt to reduce the number of pedestrians killed.
At the launching of the National Road Safety Action Plan yesterday.
As a recommendation, Hinds said that first aid training should be included in schools’ curriculum so that in the event of an accident, first responders will have an idea as to how they can move the person to prevent further injuries.
The Action plan outlined the roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders that are concerned with the safety of road users, including the Ministry of Public Security, the Guyana Police Force, GNRSC and insurance agencies.
The Plan, it was stressed, will complement the National Road Safety Strategy, 2013-2020, and will help Guyana to meet the existing 2011-2020 action plan to reach 50 percent death reduction by 2020.
Coordinator of the GNRSC, Ramona Doorgen pointed out that the Action Plan will provide training for stakeholders, including representatives of the media. She said that, “the road safety council is insisting in having the media trained, because at times reporters are among the first at the scene of an accident.
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