President ‘deeply troubled’ by deadly accidents; says focus on speeding & drunk driving needed

Eight young persons, all age 21 and younger, died in three separate road accidents at the weekend and President Dr. Irfaan Ali said he is deeply troubled by these events.

So, he has asked the Commissioner of Police (ag) Clifton Hicken to create a new campaign to help address the issue. Through that campaign, the President said there will be a great focus on excessive speeding and drunk driving.

“A lot of the accidents have to deal with excessive speeding and a lot of drinking and driving,” President Ali told reporters on Monday at the sidelines of an event.

He added, “We have to also move to the enforcement of laws.”

Four teenagers died in an accident early Sunday morning after the vehicle they were in collided with a parked truck and a concrete fence at Canal #2 Polder, West Bank Demerara (WBD), Region Three. The driver was reportedly speeding.

Those who died in this accident are: Daveanand Singh, 17, of Providence, East Bank Demerara; Amiesha Jaikaran, 19, of La Grange Old Road, WBD; Divyanie Narine, 18, of Kitty, Georgetown; and Daniel Tirbeni, 19, of La Grange.

On Saturday night at the Unity Public Road, Mahaica, East Coast Demerara, another three young persons died.  They are 21-year-old Elisha Pellew of Unity, his pillion rider, Raymond Rose, also 21 of Supply, Mahaica and 19-year-old Shawn Persaud.

Finally, 19-year-old Rahul Thakoor of Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam, Berbice died after an accident between two motorcyclists on the # 11 Public Road, East Berbice just after midnight on Saturday.

It is alleged that Thakoor was riding motorcycle # CJ 2552 when he undertook another motorcycle, clipped the handle and collided with a GPL lamp post. Police said both motorcyclists were speeding.

“It is heart wrenching… eight persons in one night and look at the age group,” an evidently distressed President Ali said while he engaged reporters.

The Head of State said ensuring that the roadways are safer is a “national issue” and stressed that people have a responsibility to drive safely on the roadways.

Since at least one of the deadly accidents involved motor lorries, the President said the authorities have to examine the use of these vehicles.