To deal with drunken driving, bring on the breathalyser says NGO group

Citizens for a Better Trinidad and Tobago (CBTT), a non-governmental organisation, is pleading with  Government to put the breathalyser in place for 2005. The group also urged Government to find ways to deal with the increasing murders, kidnappings, domestic violence and child sex abuse. In its New Year’s Day message, CBTT spokesperson, Harrack Balramsingh, said that the murder rate has reached unprecedented levels with some 260 people losing their lives through violent means. This, he said, was unacceptable and must not be allowed to continue in the New Year.

“Guns continue to get into the hands of many delinquent young people and a more concentrated effort should be made by the authorities to bring to justice those who are importing these illegal weapons into the country,” said. Promises to implement the breathalyser have  not been kept, he said, and hence the carnage continues on the nation’s roads. The loss of life, he said, was mainly due to drunk driving. “We cannot tackle road safety effectively without passing laws to prevent motorists from driving under the influence of alcohol. “Instead of continuing to protect drunk drivers there should be an all-out war against drunk motorists in 2005, but this can only be done if the breathalyser is introduced,” he said.

Balramsingh also stated that 2005 should be a year of action against criminals. “It should also be the year when we begin a more serious campaign against corrupt cops, murderers, kidnappers and perpetrators of domestic violence and child sex abuse.” He noted that if New York City could have less than a dozen murders per million people, which was achieved in 2002, he said that we could do the same. “Tough measures must be implemented even though they may not go down too well with some people,” he said. Balramsingh suggested  that the Police Service be equipped with the latest technology in order to fight the war against criminals and delinquent motorists.