The Guyana Police Force has released the crime statistics for the first 10 months of the year and the murder rate and road fatality rate continue to climb.
According to the Police, at the end of October, the country recorded 119 murders and that represented an increase of 7% for the corresponding period last year. Armed robberies using a firearm saw a 13% increase while there was a 1% decline in armed robberies using instruments other than a gun.
The murder rate remains worrying as most of the cases remain unsolved. There have been calls by the Opposition parties for the Police Force to develop a comprehensive crime fighting strategy. Opposition Leader David Granger has indicated that the Police ought to be provided with adequate resources to arrest the situation.
The number of road deaths in the country is also worrying. At the end of October, there were 113 persons who lost their lives on the country’s roadways. Those deaths were as a result of 104 traffic accidents. The figure also represents a whopping 33% increase in road deaths in the country.
According to the Police report, pedestrians have been the main road users affected. Fifty pedestrians lost their lives at the end of October 2014. In addition 20 motor cyclists, 16 pedal cyclists, 11 drivers, 15 persons travelling in motor vehicles and 1 person being towed on a bicycle also lost their lives.
The Guyana Police Force is convinced that speeding continues to be a major contributing factor to fatal accidents and was the cause of 65 of the 104 fatal accidents recorded at the end of October 2014.
Traffic enforcement by the police has resulted in a total of 58,654 cases being made against errant motorists unto the end of October 2014; of this total, 16,126 cases were for speeding.
To date, 9 persons have lost their lives from 9 fatal accidents during this month November 2014.
The Guyana Police Force in its statement said it is “extremely concerned at this loss of lives, serious injuries and economic and social impact resulting from road accidents for which the major contributory factors have been speeding, drunk driving and inconsiderate use of the roads.”
According to the Police Force, cognisant of the volume of vehicular traffic using the roadways, the Police Force with significant support from other stakeholders inclusive of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Public Works, the Guyana National Road Safety Council and Road Safety Associations in Police Divisions, in addition to enforcement, has been placing considerable emphasis on the education of road users to practice the safe use of the roads.
A review of the statistics for the past five years indicates that from January 2010 to date a total of 574 persons have lost their lives due to road fatalities. Of this number 209 were pedestrians, 97 motorcyclists and 85 pedal cyclists. In total this vulnerable group, that has little or no protection in the event of an accident, comprises some 68% of the road fatalities for that period.
“While the Police Force is calling on all road users to use the roadways in a safe manner bearing in mind the five Cs – Care, Caution, Courtesy, Consideration, Common Sense – it is making a special appeal to pedestrians, motorcyclists and pedal cyclists to do so”, the statement said.
Filed: 17th 2014
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