Repaint road lines

THE EDITOR: Pronouncements originating from the Ministry of Works and Transport in the last three months suggested that safety issues affecting the roadways of our nation, especially those of primary importance, will be receiving much needed, immediate attention. These announcements — from the Minister himself and the Transport Commissioner — indicated that due attention to computerisation, infrastructure upgrade, road signs, traffic lights, pedestrian crossings and more emphatically, a comprehensive repainting exercise of existing lane demarcation lines, will be aggressively pursued.

But for the vigorous campaign to computerise the Licensing Division, at least through repeated press statements, those other promises to address the woes of our transport systems are largely yet to materialise. For example, widespread appeals for infrastructure upgrade and changes, new and more strategically placed pedestrian crossings, traffic lights, and much needed road signs have yielded very little or no responses so far. The major “highways” of our nation are at present themselves one of the most discernible hazards to motorists and commuters alike because of faded and sometimes indistinguishable lane lines — a problem now compounded on a rainy day and rendered even more dangerous at nights — rainy nights.

Even with the increased, diurnal police presence, though not vigilance, throughout our nations “highways”, grossly defective vehicles still parade to the detriment of all law abiding citizens. Habitual and delinquent drivers likewise, are yet able to commit acts of indiscretions with near impunity because of this lack of sustained vigilance on the part of the Licensing Authority and more particularly, the police. The needless carnage we are witnessing on the nation’s roadways is indeed attributable in part to a failure to address collectively these and other notable areas of safety concerns. In the circumstances, however, it might be best to start with the little, seemingly insignificant thing first — repaint all the faded, unrecognisable demarcation lane lines on the primary roads of our nation.

JAHMADAR CASSIE
Port-of-Spain