It is long pass time for the authorities including the Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF) to start thinking outside of “The Box” in coming up with alternative solutions to combat the growing lawlessness on our road network.
This is the era of Science and Technology and our own Prime Minister who has responsibility for National Security matters including the Police is the lead Prime Minister in the region for Science and Technology.
THE NEW TODAY is convinced that it will take more than the hiring of Traffic Wardens to deal with the growing lawlessness on our roads with the chief culprits being bus drivers.
It is common practice for bus drivers to use their cellphones to tip off each other on where the Traffic Wardens are currently located.
The Grand Anse route is the busiest in the country and the bus drivers are having a field day in violating the traffic regulations.
This paper is convinced that the Traffic Department is fully aware of those areas along the route where the bus drivers are a serious menace and nuisance to other road users especially around the Carenage and the Otway Gas station in Paddock/Lagoon area.
The bus drivers will wait for the Traffic Police or Traffic Warden to move away from these spots and then immediately engage in their illegal activities.
It is time for the Traffic Department to utilise Science and Technology with the use of our internet providers to put in place a system including the use of cameras in these trouble spots and monitor them from their base on a 24-hour basis.
The motorists especially bus drivers who are caught on camera violating the traffic laws must be subjected to a reasonable fine like $200.00 and if they challenge the fine and want to contest in court the fine should be increased to $1000.00.
The law could also make provisions for failure to pay the fine within a short period of time to result in a driver losing his/her licence initially for a period of 6 months or thereabout.
The one Magistrate who was able to keep a tight rein on the lawless bus drivers has been forced out of the Magistracy.
The bus drivers have now seized the opportunity to continue with their recklessness and in some cases have gotten worst in their use of the nation’s road network.
There is also a very dangerous trend of vehicle owners especially in the south of the island utilising all the limited sidewalk space provided for pedestrians to engage in safe walking.
All kinds of vehicles can be seen parked on the sidewalk pavement and forcing pedestrians to walk in the road and to expose themselves to speeding vehicles at all times of the day.
The police pass these routes every day and are fully aware of this illegal practice but are not doing anything about it.
This illegal practice will stop overnight if the police send in a squad to clamp those vehicles caught breaking the law.
When the road network was improved in the Belmont/Grand Anse route years ago, the State was forced to acquire lands to put in parking spaces for bus drivers to drop off and pick up passengers but today many bus drivers are not utilizing the zone set aside for them and the police cannot be seen enforcing it.
THE NEW TODAY also wish to point to the nightmare that is taking place in the Grand Anse Valley area with all kinds of vehicles including abandoned ones parked on the various sides of the road and hampering the free flow of traffic.
This Valley has turned out to be an extremely very busy thoroughfare for motorists who are trying to get into the south and want to avoid the frequent traffic pile up along the Belmont/Grand Anse route.
This paper is not sure that the vast majority of officers now in the force are aware that the Grand Anse Valley road was upgraded by the 1979-83 People’s Revolutionary Government (PRG) as an emergency road in case of a major accident at the airport.
The intention of the PRG was to have the road free from any traffic congestion to service the needs of our international airport.
In recent times, all kinds of illegal parking is taking place along the roadway and preventing the free flow of traffic.
The police have put in a “No Parking” sign in a particular area in the Valley and this is being violated openly by many vehicle drivers.
It is sad that the police are not even monitoring the area to clamp those vehicles that can be found parked in the “No Parking” zone at any given time of the day.
Grenada might be left in a very embarrassing situation if there is a major mishap at the airport and persons have to be rushed to the St. George’s General Hospital whether utilising the Grand Anse Valley route or the Grand Anse/Belmont thoroughfare.