THE EDITOR, Sir:The Government is fond of boasting about the mega road projects all over the place. But what good is it if the roads are dangerous?
Here are a few recommendations: All lorries must be fitted with reflectors. The police should be given the authority to clamp lorries parked at night without reflectors, and prosecute the owners. No lorries should pass a vehicle inspection without reflectors. Secondly, all bicycle riders must have reflectors on their bicycles. We have to protect some of these bicycle riders from themselves, by requiring them to have reflectors. They don't pay road tax for using the road, (although I think they should), so they should be able to afford a couple of reflectors. Thirdly, disabled vehicles left abandoned in the middle of the road should be removed by the police, impounded at the owner's expense, and the owner prosecuted for obstruction.
The fourth recommendation is to require that lorries must be fitted with a device that will restrict their speed to an acceptable level, say, 80kmph. There are some things that the Government needs to do that have nothing to do with driver irresponsibility. It boggles my mind that the Government does not see the need to have warning signs alerting drivers of an upcoming divided highway or a roundabout. There are so many cases of drivers having accidents because of the failure of the authorities to show concern for the lives of people. Why does the Road Safety Unit not focus on these things?
To be First World means more than the number of cell phones per capita or the number of vehicles per capita. First World mean more than economic transformation. For us to be truly First World, there must be a transformation of attitudes.
I am, etc.,
BEN HENRY
Montego Bay
