RDC 10 appeals for marking of Soesdyke/Linden highway -says undertaking necessary to help reduce accidents

Feb 13, 2019 News

A passionate petition has been made by Region 10 Councillor, Charles Sampson, for the immediate marking of the Soesdyke/Linden highway. Sampson’s plea echoes that of the Region’s Regional Democratic Council [RDC], which has intensified its calls to the Ministry of Public Infrastructure for the immediate marking of the Soesdyke/Linden highway.
But according to Councillor Sampson, it seems like the Public Infrastructure Ministry has forgotten that there needs to be immediate markings on the road. The Councillor said that he has raised the issue on numerous occasions but “it seems as though the Ministry of Public Infrastructure is reluctant in lending assistance.”
He posited that with proper road markings and lights along the road, it would aid significantly in reducing a number of road accidents. He said that the people of Region 10, more so the RDC, have over the years been repeating calls for the Ministry to effect these changes and as such, demanded that his fellow councillors look at taking drastic action with a view of getting the road marking underway.
“The highway needs to be marked and have lights. It seems like some big one got to dead before they mark the line because we don’t have markings,” an evident frustrated Councillor Sampson said.
He continued, “another thing to do, and do it urgently, when you pass by the high bridge, there is a number of large trees along the highway and I keep saying that those trees can fall and cause serious accidents and the Ministry of Public Infrastructure should heed our calls and do something about this immediately. If you ask any driver that drives the Linden Soesdyke ro

Councillor Charles Sampson making a point about the Soesdyke/Linden Highway.

ad, they will tell you, that it’s a nightmare.”
The councillor said that for too long the Council pleas have fallen on deaf ears and it’s time that the council demand action, as a simple look at the East Bank, East Coast and Berbice roads would reveal that they are fully lighted and questioned the rationale as to why after all these years the Soesdyke/Linden road continues to be without marking and lighting.
“When you go along the Berbice road, there is lighting and marking as all the way and even if you look at East Coast, they too have lights and markings, so why is it that the Soesdyke/Linden road cannot after all these years have lightings and marking, leaves me wondering. Ask any driver and they will tell you the horror that drivers face along the highway,” Councillor Sampson noted.
He further argued that with markings along the road it would help significantly.

“Even if somebody is blinding you with their headlights you can still see the white line marking. We raised questions about cleaning the trees that are overlapping on the highway…These are the things that Public Infrastructure needs to pay attention to,” Councillor Sampson declared.
Meanwhile, Regional Chairman Renis Morian, thanked Councillor Sampson for ventilating the issue even as he too supported his sentiments.
“Thank you sir, I want to tell you that as of December 2018, I have sent no less than five letters to the Ministry of Public Infrastructure. When I sent the list that we would have sent back for the roads, I sent the list reminding that we are requesting marking and lightings on the road. It is my personal view that there are people in the establishment who are pushing back at development, because I find it impossible to see that since we came into office in 2015, this very observation of marking on the road and lighting are not done,” the Regional Chairman said.
He too embraces the firm belief that with markings, a number of accidents would be reduced.
“I believe that with markings it will certainly reduce the accidents, which in most cases result in the loss of lives. Again, I hope that I don’t have to write several [more] letters, so I will write number six letter and I hope that action is taken, as there is need for proper road markings and lights,” Morian stressed.

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