Time to Move Forward: A Safer, Smarter Transport Future for Guyana”

Nov 07, 2025 Letters

Dear Editor,

Each day, our nation bears witness to tragic and avoidable road accidents that rob families of loved ones and children of futures. The most recent incidents—a 15-year-old fatally struck by a speeding police officer and a busload of shocked schoolchildren sitting by the roadside—lay bare a devastating truth: our roads have become zones of uncertainty, governed too often by recklessness and administrative neglect.

The specific tragedy involving the young child underscores deeper systemic failures. The so-called “third lane” scheme—an improvised traffic management tactic where law enforcement redirects vehicles against oncoming traffic—remains poorly regulated, unmarked, and perilous. No child or adult can safely navigate an environment where official practices create more confusion than order. This, continuing pattern of human loss and trauma should ignite in us a collective urgency to demand meaningful change. Guyana can no longer depend solely on private minibuses and informal taxi systems as the backbone of public mobility. It is time for government-led transformation through a safe, reliable, and sustainable public transportation system.

A state-operated bus network—with vehicles of 50-passenger capacity, clearly designated stops, and dedicated peak-hour lanes—can drastically reduce both traffic congestion and pollution. Congestion pricing for cars entering the city, monitored by smart tags and traffic cameras, will not only manage vehicular load but also generate funding for maintenance and expansion. Strategic park-and-ride facilities at entry arteries can encourage citizens to transition smoothly from private cars to public transit, easing the daily gridlock that chokes our capital. Such an initiative aligns perfectly with Guyana’s Green State Development Strategy.

A nation blessed with oil wealth can and must invest in cleaner, safer transport infrastructure that supports both environmental health and public well-being. This is not a luxury; it is an essential step toward building a green, smart city where children can walk freely, commuters breathe cleaner air, and citizens enjoy less stress in their daily commute. Government hesitation only prolongs avoidable suffering.

Policymakers must act decisively and with vision. Let this be the moment Guyana shifts from reactive patches to proactive planning—for a safer, cleaner, and more humane national transport system that honors life and secures our collective future.

Sincerely,
Hemdutt Kumar

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Hemdutt Kumar, Letters, traffic management., transport

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