About a week after its former leader and founder of the Alliance For Change (AFC) – at an official party press conference – called for the 2am curfew to be reinstated as a means to curb road accidents, newly elected leader Nigel Hughes says no policy decision on the matter has been taken.
Addressing a press conference today, Hughes indicated that a national solution to the road carnage is required.
“The Alliance For Change notes the concerns raised with regards to the statements made on the 2am curfew at our last press conference and wishes to correct a few misconceptions,” Hughes started off saying.
He added that, “since the advent of our new executive, the 2am curfew has not yet been discussed and therefore no policy decision has been taken.”
According to the AFC Leader, “It is our hope that a solution that balances our support for private sector entertainment spots to be profitable with safe and responsible practices including a change in the culture of speeding and driving under the influence, might be found.”
Hughes also called for a national solution to the road carnage.
This changed position from the AFC comes amid widespread criticisms of its call to reinstate the 2am curfew.
In fact, the AFC had not even received support from its parliamentary opposition partner, the Peoples National Congress (PNC) which expressed in a statement that “the PNCR has noted media reports that quote the AFC, in the person of its former Leader Khemraj Ramjattan, as saying that the 2AM curfew should be re-instated as a measure to reduce road accidents and fatalities. Without any empirical data or statistical analysis, the PNCR cannot support the AFC’s proposal.”
Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo has also scoffed at the AFC’s calls, noting that the 2am curfew never worked.
Nevertheless, the Vice President admitted that more needs to be done to address road accidents and fatalities on the roadways.
The 2am curfew, which was imposed under the APNU+AFC government, was often relaxed during the holiday periods where there would be higher-than-usual alcohol consumption among persons – thereby defeating the intended purpose of the curfew – to curb road fatalities, especially those caused by drunk driving.
Moreover, the curfew was widely criticised as being anti-business.
