In response to mounting concerns over the increasing number of inactive traffic lights across the country, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) has initiated discussions with the Public Works Ministry to expedite the reactivation process.
According to officials during an episode of a police programme named “Road Safety and You”, the inactivity of several traffic lights have been attributed to ongoing road works across the country.
Sergeant Winston White, attached to the traffic headquarters in Georgetown, has emphasised the urgency of the situation, stating, that they have seen a significant rise in traffic incidents and congestion due to these inactive traffic lights.
“Recently with the increase of road work, and construction work that has been going on around the country, primarily in Georgetown, some of the regular intersections that used to be manned by traffic lights, because of the expansion and widening of these roads, some of these traffic lights have become inactive… as recent as last Wednesday, the administration of the Guyana Police Force through the traffic officer had a meeting with the Ministry of Infrastructure…”, he said.
He said that while the Police Force is awaiting the implementation of these lights, the areas where the traffic lights are inactive will be manned by their traffic officers.
“The implementation of the lights is a work in progress… from time to time, you will find police officers even on motorcycles checking these areas to ensure that they are manned properly”, he explained.
Meanwhile, also on the same programme, Sergeant Williams of the Providence Police Station, stated that even with the traffic lights posing a challenge, there are motorists who contribute to traffic build-up.
As such, he pleaded with motorists who have been involved in minor incidents on the roadway, to promptly clear off the road, to avoid an unnecessary buildup of traffic.
“If you are involved in an accident and your vehicle is on the road, what I will advise you to do, is to mark where your wheels are, and put your vehicles to the corner of the road. You do not have to wait for the traffic rank to arrive on the scene. You being there will cause some amount of obstruction. You and the driver can exchange license and insurance information and drive to the nearest station to report the accident”, the Sergeant explained.
In recent years, commuters have expressed concern about malfunctioning traffic lights. In addition to roadworks causing some lights to be inoperable nationwide, instances of vandalism have also been reported.
The government has noted cases of theft and vandalism targeting solar-powered batteries for traffic lights in the capital city, costing millions of dollars to replace. As such, officials emphasise the importance of public cooperation in addressing these criminal acts, highlighting that law enforcement cannot tackle the issue alone.
