The police cannot be trusted with fairly enforcing traffic regulations

Jan 11, 2020 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

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The police may have had justifiable reasons for escorting an APNU+AFC convoy of vehicles into the city. Given the fact that large contingents of supporters are moving back and forth attending the ruling Coalition’s political meetings and rallies, the police may have felt the need to ensure safe passage of these convoys.
Whenever there is motor racing at the South Dakota circuit, the police would normally escort the vehicles at the end of the event. They do so, cognizant that without a police presence, some drivers in their haste to get home would feel that they are on the racing circuit.
People should not be harsh on the police therefore for escorting Party convoys as long as these are not privileges but rather attempts to ensure safety and order on the roads.
A few years ago, this column had pointed to the most disturbing incident. A PNCR activist had died in the United States and his body was being returned home for burial. This activist was provided with a police escort from the Timehri International Airport to his home.
The individual was clearly not entitled to such a privilege. This act constitutes an abuse of authority for which no one has been held accountable.
The Police Force will not be able to be held accountable for any of their failures or mistakes unless the relevant laws are modernized. Guyana’s has a bunch of archaic laws, the foremost of which are its traffic laws.
These laws place too much discretion in hands of the police. They also grant too much power to the Minister to establish regulations.
Not many members of the public are familiar with the traffic regulations because they have not been codified in a single document. It is time that is done and to move towards a more rule-based system of traffic laws.
Traffic policemen have an obsession with trucks and goods’ vehicles. I have not yet fully understood just why it is that they like to stop these types of vehicles.
Some traffic ranks like to stop female drivers and harass them, including sexually. Some of these ranks are bluffs, refusing to provide reasons for stopping motorists. They concoct all manner of reasons why they have a right to stop you without providing cause.
No so long ago, the public was told that a vehicle’s certificate of fitness is only required to be displayed on vehicles used for hire.
Yet, as has been reported by another columnist of this newspaper, police ranks have been claiming that it is a requirement for the certificate of fitness to be displayed on private vehicles. Imagine how many persons would have been fleeced by ranks who misrepresent the requirements.
The public was also told that random stops by ranks are outlawed and that persons can only be stopped without reason at road blocks in which case a senior officer has to be present. However, on New Year’s Eve, vehicles were being stopped and pulled over randomly on Vlissengen Road by two ranks who were using a police vehicle.
In light of the harassment being meted out to motorists by traffic ranks, there is need for a rule-based system to be implemented. The regulations cannot be codified until after elections.
This is understood but what can happen immediately is that the motorists can be told just what they need to display and for which vehicles. They should also be advised of the circumstances under which they can be stopped and just what constitutes a road block.
Those traffic ranks who feign ignorance of the traffic regulations or deliberately misrepresent them should have no place in the traffic department or in the Guyana Police Force. The public should expose them and their actions.
The public has begun to fight back to ensure that there is lawfulness and safety on the roadways. Social media is being used to highlight cases of dangerous driving. The police have taken action in respect to two videos posted on social media. One of the videos featured a person dancing on top of a moving mini bus. It was reported that the person was charged
But to date no action has been taken in respect to a video of a Guyana Defence Force vehicle breaching the traffic lights. Nor have there been reports on anyone being charged for driving on walkways which are used by pedestrians.
There are numerous videos of this type of infraction posted on social media
The police cannot be trusted any longer with fairly enforcing the traffic laws. Reform is needed and that reform has to come with the modernization of traffic regulations so that every motorists is aware not only of the necessary road safety laws and regulations but also what to expect when he or she is stopped by a traffic rank.

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