Encounter with rude, discourteous constable

Since we are from Curepe, quite naturally we passed through Farm Road in St Joseph. However, we could see the standstill traffic on the Eastern Main Road (EMR) from where we sat in the car.

Therefore I merged onto the Priority Bus Route from Farm Road, quite cognizant of the fact that there were police on the bus route.

It should be noted that we are Muslims, therefore all the paperwork had to be in order for us to secure the body to be buried in a timely manner.

Additionally, the deceased did not have the newest birth certificate, adding uncertainty to the issuance of the death certificate.

On nearing the intersection to the EWMSC we were stopped by an officer and asked why were we on the Bus Route.

I related the situation to him. The officer then aggressively told me to pull over because he was fed up of hearing that “Mt Hope story.” I again related our plight to the officer, to which he replied, “Is that an emergency?” He then pointed to the EMR and said I could have used that route instead.

All this while my mother-in-law, who was now heartbroken by the tragic news of her mother’s passing, was beginning to cry hysterically in the back seat.

The officer then literally screamed at me for my driving permit and insurance.

Shocked at his rude and discourteous behaviour at our unfortunate situation, I told him not to be unreasonable.

The officer shouted and ran up to the car and made me repeat myself three more times. He then yelled “ticket.” After issuing the ticket, the officer proceeded to make me turn around and head back to Farm Road and through the bumper-tobumper traffic on the EMR.

My point of writing is that while all these public relations efforts are being made by the Police Service to paint the police as people friendly, officers like that constable are dismantling these efforts fast. So much for protecting and serving with pride.

WASIM ALI Curepe