Blog

Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn on Monday said there are new measures and laws in place to help reduce the alarming number of road deaths locally.

The country lost a whopping 178 persons by road deaths in 2023, even as the figures had dropped in the preceding years.

At the launch of Road Safety Month on Monday, at the Leonora Track and Field, West Coast Demerara, he pointed out that many changes are being rolled out to help ensure that there is improvement in road safety by 2030.

The theme, “Do the right thing,” is making the exhortation for persons to be guided by the laws when behind the wheel, he pointed out.

“Many things have been done with legislation to make sure that we improve, seatbelt laws were put in place, issues relating to driving drunk, issues relating to improving the capacity and resources of the Guyana Police Force have been put in place to improve their efficiency, their presence, their awareness and their responsiveness to bad behaviour on the roads,” Benn expressed.

“One of the things which we have to point out continuously is that we adults are not giving the best examples to our children,” he charged.

“A lot of what is happening is a result of bad adult behaviour; poor examples which children see and replicate,” he added.

The post New measures, laws in place to help reduce road deaths – Benn  appeared first on News Room Guyana.

Just fewer than 500 house lots will be allocated at Hauraruni, along the Soesdyke-Linden Highway, Chief Executive Officer of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA) Sherwyn Greaves said during a recent site visit to inspect the progress there.

The land has already been cleared and tender documents have been sent out for the access roads and internal infrastructure works. The construction of the houses will commence shortly.

The project, spanning 150 acres of land provided by the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission, is being spearheaded by CHPA, and is one of three major housing development sites earmarked along the Soesdyke Highway. The other are being Silica City and Yarrowkabra.

“The land has already been cleared and we have submitted bids; we have sent out the tender documents for persons to tender…Soon thereafter we will start constructing young professional houses. The aim right now is to build the flat three-bedroom young professional houses. We have close to 500 lots here,” Greaves shared.

The tender closes in three weeks, after which the procurement process will commence. Once this is finished, infrastructure works should commence in December or by the first quarter of 2025.

The aim is to maintain the topography and to utilise the natural resources that are available, according to Greaves.

“We have seen a great interest in Silica City which shows that persons are willing to move away from the coastland and come to these areas, and these areas will no longer be remote areas with the new roads that are coming,” he observed.

“We are doing a new highway that was joining the Hero Highway that will come all the way to Soesdyke, so those infrastructures will make access to these areas much easier,” he added.

The government has allocated an estimated $900 million for the initial phase of this housing development.

The post About 500 Young Professional house lots to be allocated at Hauraruni appeared first on News Room Guyana.

A mother and four children perished in a massive fire that destroyed two houses in the No. 64 Village, Corentyne Berbice on Monday night.

The News Room understands that the family was trapped inside the wooden structure as it went up in flames.

Investigators have found the bodies among the debris. Additional details, including the names of those who died, will be provided once they are available.

The post Mother, four children perish in Corentyne fire  appeared first on News Room Guyana.

The year 2023 was one of the most grievous years for road fatalities, but statistics show that there has been some improvement in 2024.

Even so, authorities are urging motorists to desist from the usual ‘culprits’ that claim lives: speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol, and driving while being distracted.

According to Research Officer at the Ministry of Home Affairs Michelle Baptiste, comparative statistics for the period January 1 to November 2, 2023 versus 2024 show that the total lives lost declined by 30 per cent – down to 102 in 2024 from 145 in 2023.

At the launch of Road Safety Month 2024, at Leonora Track and Field, West Coast Demerara, she shared additional comparative statistics for the period January 1 to November 2, 2023 versus 2024.

Male fatalities decreased by 25 per cent (down to 91 in 2024 from 122 in 2023); there was a 49 per cent decrease in lives lost for the 25-42 age category (down to 45 in 2024 from 55 in 2023).

Research Officer at the Ministry of Home Affairs, Michelle Baptiste

According to her, the leading road users killed in fatal accidents were motorcyclists for both years, which was followed by pedestrians.

“There was a 15 per cent (down to 41 in 2024 from 48 in 2023) decrease in lives lost for motorcyclists and 30 per cent (down to 26 in 2024 from 37 in 2023) decrease in lives lost for pedestrians.

Private cars were the highest category of vehicles involved in fatal accidents for both periods. However, this category declined by 18 per cent (down to 45 in 2024 from 55 in 2023).

The majority of fatal accidents were recorded on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays for 2024, and the peak period is 18:01 hours though midnight.

“Why are we failing? One reason has to do with the current culture of our society. Persons drinking under the influence of alcohol and drugs and think it is ok to do so,” Baptiste said.

Added to the problem is that “most motorcyclists” do not wear their helmets, and persons ride and drive aggressively.

The post After deadly 2023, road fatalities on the decline appeared first on News Room Guyana.

A fire erupted Monday in New Amsterdam, destroying the renowned Bob & Sons Supermarket.

The blaze started at approximately 19:15 hrs and rapidly spread, partially engulfing the nearby Penguin International Hotel and scorching the walls of Scotiabank.

Firefighters from across the region worked tirelessly to contain the flames and prevent further damage.

Bob & Sons Supermarket, a longstanding establishment in New Amsterdam, had served generations of residents and was well known for its wide range of products and community presence. Located in the heart of New Amsterdam, the supermarket was a staple for families and businesses alike. For years, it has been a key source of groceries and essentials, making its loss not only a business setback but a personal one for many locals.

The Penguin International Hotel, a popular spot for both local patrons and visitors, also endured significant fire damage.

As firefighters continue to battle the blaze the cause of the fire is yet to be determined.

The post Massive fire destroys New Amsterdam supermarket appeared first on News Room Guyana.

Vishok Persaud is the 2024 Group Four (2WD) Champion after he sealed his faith with an impressive performance at the ENet Caribbean Clash of Champions, held at the South Dakota Circuit on Sunday.

November has proven to be one to remember for Persaud, who delivered consistent performances throughout the event and year.

Despite a challenging race incident that marred his initial attempt to sweep all Group Four (2WD) events, Persaud ended the day with the title of overall champion of 2024.

Persaud along with members of Team ENet and supporters (PHOTO: News Room/Shaconeil Burnette)

Persaud’s team played a crucial role in his success, demonstrating their reliability and efficiency. After the incident in the first race, they worked swiftly to ensure that his spare car was in race prep for the subsequent races.

He went on to win two of the three races with a best lap time of 1:17.848s.

Notably, during qualifying on Saturday, he set an unofficial record with a lap time of 1:16.084s, surpassing his previous standing lap record of 1:16.691s. Official Lap Records can only be set during a race.

Vishok Persaud’s KTM X-Bow has proven to be the car to be beat in Group Four (2WD) (PHOTO: News Room/Shaconeil Burnette)

Quinlan Lall, who qualified P2 with 1:17.157s with his Mazda RX-7, had raised expectations for a fierce battle with Persaud. Lall managed to win the first race.

The 2024 Group Four season was split into 2WD and 4WD categories.

Earlier races in the year saw thrilling performances between Mark Vieira and Persaud, and the latter held the edge heading into November.

Vishok Persaud and his wife, Tanya (left) and daughter, Kayla (PHOTO: News Room/Shaconeil Burnette)

Persaud had 133 points, leading Vieira by 11 points; however, Vieira did not compete at the November meet due to an injury.

Roger Yuen and the championship trophy (PHOTO: News Room/Shaconeil Burnette)

Roger Yuen runs Persaud’s team, and he credits him with keeping the KTM X-Bow cars reliable and competitive.

The team also had support from California-based John Mueller of Muellerized.

John (left) and Chris from Muellerized offered support to Persaud (PHOTO: News Room/Shaconeil Burnette)

Overall, the 2024 ENet Caribbean Clash of Champions was a thrilling showcase of talent and determination, with several drivers leaving their mark and adding to their legacies in the motorsport arena.

The post Vishok Persaud seals 2024 Group Four Championship appeared first on News Room Guyana.

Enforcing the points system, which was introduced years ago to demerit drivers found culpable of breaching traffic laws, may be one of the solutions to curb the current spate of accidents on the roadways, especially those involving big trucks.

Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn said this on Monday while speaking to the News Room on the sidelines of the launch of Road Safety Month 2024, at Leonora Track and Field Facility, West Coast Demerara. The observances for the month are being held under the theme, “Do the right thing.”

“The solution resides in better presence and enforcement.

“And also, in relation to putting in the points system for persons who drive badly, get in accidents – that they are demerited on a points system which was introduced some years ago, but never activated,” Benn said.

He added, “The more they get demerited, they’ll reach a point where their license will be taken away.”

According to him, such a move would also have an impact on their insurance.

“The insurance will either have to charge them higher rates or don’t give them insurance at all.”

A significant factor in accidents involving trucks and motorcycles, Minister Benn expressed, is that the number of these vehicles has more than doubled.

“One would see that construction of roads and private buildings, a lot of sand and stone and other aggregates are required for this effort. So the number of trucks has increased and the frequency of their use on the roads has increased,” he noted.

He disclosed that the Traffic Department of the Guyana Police Force, along with his ministry, has been discussing who can apply for a truck license. Some persons barely reach the age of being allowed to be a truck driver, but the question of their awareness, their training, and the way they operate their vehicle is increasingly a cause for concern.

A lot, too, has to do with the owners of businesses in terms of ensuring better maintenance of the trucks.

The post Enforcing ‘points system’ may help keep errant drivers in check – Benn appeared first on News Room Guyana.