Mothers in Black, a group of women whose children or close relatives died in road accidents, mounted another demonstration outside Public Buildings yesterday, to continue their call for stricter traffic laws. The demonstration was also in observance of World Road Safety Week.
The women said that their protest is intended to remind the public and the authorities of the lives lost in road accidents.
Present at yesterday's assembly was local dentist Dr. Cheddi ‘Joey' Jagan, who joined in the call for the implementation of stricter laws and penalties for traffic offences.
Dr. Jagan referred to an accident involving himself and an unlicensed driver, during which he said he almost lost a leg. He added that the matter was never placed before a magistrate.
Dr Jagan sympathised with the aggrieved mothers, and opined that the government is capable of garnering the necessary funding for the effective training of traffic ranks and the purchasing of relevant equipment to curtail the high list of traffic offenders on a daily basis.
Some of the mothers, including the mother of the late Quincy Junor, who died in the September 2006 collision outside Ocean View International Hotel, East Coast Demerara, expressed their dissatisfaction with the manner in which their matters have been investigated.
The women displayed placards and pictures of their loved ones who died on the streets.
“Stricter penalties should be implemented and offenders should be required to pay more significant fines,” they said.
They also indicated that they had approached several Government officials, including the President and the Home Affairs Minister, but have achieved nothing more than the seatbelt and introduction of motor cycle helmet laws.
According to the participants, the protests will continue until much more is done to reduce the incidence of road accidents.