Road horror has long been culturally endemic

May 22, 2021 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,
The horror of animals on our roadways has long been a cultural feature of this land. An article by Francis Quamina Farrier, as far back as 1986, was headlined “Council launches campaign against stray animals.” Accompanying the article, was a photograph of the then First Citizen of the country’s capital city, Georgetown, Mayor Robroy Whyte.
The article’s opening paragraph captured this eternal problem: “That perennial problem of stray animals roaming the streets of Georgetown has been with Guyanese for a very long time, and it seems to be a problem which is just not going away anytime soon.” How prophetically right was Farrier?
I recall, as far back as 2009, the then Traffic Chief, Senior Superintendent Neil Semple, emphatically commented on the subject, saying that “Animals have no right to be on the road anywhere in the country and should be grazed in pastures; (and that) amendments of legislation have made allowance for fines to owners to be increased.”
He explained at the time that “… cattle owners must show respect for the law or face the consequences of amended legislation, as stray animals on the roadways remain a major source of danger to motorists nationwide.” I fast forward to November 2015 and the dailies reported that then Traffic Chief, Dion Moore, was worried about the “The issue of animals roaming the streets…” saying that it is a source of concern for both road users and the Police Traffic Department. He noted that “… while stray animals are directly and indirectly responsible for accidents, most don’t carry brands and as such the owners can’t be found.”
What was revealing to me at the time was that Moore detailed that “while police are often blamed for animals being on the roadways… Police do not deal with animals; it’s up to the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils who are the governing body to ensure enforcement.”
So let me reiterate that this horror of animals on Guyana’s roadways seems interminable. It has always been with us, and its normalising has long been achieved.
It is common knowledge that it is illegal and dangerous to have animals, especially of the larger species, like horses, cows and donkeys, to be roaming on the thoroughfare, whether by day or night. To me, the culture is set.
Vehicles and stray animals must continue to coexist. Laws and common sense have no say in this law-eroding Guyana.
I ask that the authorities be moved by the following headlines in our dailies: “Construction worker dies after crashing into cow” https://guyanachronicle.com › News-21 Dec 2020; “Man dead, driver critical after crashing into cow on Lusignan” https://newsroom.gy › 14 Apr 2020; “Motorcyclist dies after crashing into cow on Corentyne road” //vbc.ios.mybluehost.me › 10 Nov 2018; “Man dies at Mocha after crashing into horse” https://www.stabroeknews.com › 13 Apr 2016; “Goedverwagting man dies after car crashes into horse” https://www.inewsguyana.com > 6 Jul 2015.
Well, I can go on and on, but my point is well made and with substantial proof. The bottom line is that the ‘people using vehicles must learn to maneuver among animals on the road, since law enforcement in this area is obsolete and law enforcement officers have become emasculated, or at least, inured.
Yours truly,
Matthew Hendrix

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