An untenable situation

Nov 03, 2018 Letters

Dear Editor,
Using your media resource, I would like to bring to the attention of those in authority, an untenable, exasperating and in fact a very hazardous situation that exists on the East Bank Demerara highway.
For some inexplicable reason, the Eccles/Ramsburg NDC, the Government Analyst Food and Drug Department, the Guyana Bureau of Standards and the Guyana Police Force have decided to turn a blind eye to a pretty large bread vendor who operates on the shoulder of the eastern carriage way of the East Bank Demerara Public Road, just a few feet from the traffic lights that are positioned at the junction of the Demerara Harbour Bridge and the highway.
This itinerant vendor gives hundreds of motorists traversing the East Bank Road, each day, the opportunity to stop for a minute, to choose whether they need tennis rolls, hamburger or hotdog rolls, sliced or plait bread, white sandwich or whole wheat bread, and a selection of cheeses, sausages and condiments without ever having to park or get out of their vehicles.
They just have to pull up in the eastern lane, ignore the honking vehicles behind, ignore the traffic lights and make their selection. It is like a bread vending version of the drive-thru supermarket, except drivers never have to leave the road.
To make matters even worse, this vendor becomes more industrious during the rush hour when persons are trying to get home, as clearly he places his profits much higher than road safety and the need for motorists to get where they are going in a timely manner.
Just think about it, for every sixty drivers that inconsiderately stops for a minute to purchase his or her breakfast supplies, one hour is added to the travel time of those motorists behind them. This situation forces many drivers to divert to the western lane, which is extremely dangerous because they are then entering the turning lane that leads to the Demerara Harbour Bridge even though it is not their intention to turn.
Sometimes, the traffic police would place temporary no stopping signs in front of this delinquent bread vendor, but this is far from good enough. He should not be allowed to squat there at any time of the day or night and there should be a permanent no stopping sign placed on that part of the roadway.
Apart from the traffic hazard, I would like to express concern also about the failure of this vendor to adhere to acceptable hygienic and sanitary practices. It is obvious that this vendor never covers his head, handles money and food items at the same time and does not wear an overcoat/apron, but worst of all cuts cheese, handles bread and sausages with his bare hands.
Clearly, these conditions make it much easier for the transmission of food borne diseases.
I hope that the authorities are not waiting for a major accident to occur at this very busy junction to do something about it.
Best regards
Deodarie Putulall

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