Road Safety Advocate Wants Uninsured Drivers Prosecuted THERE Is Concern That Too Many Vehi- Persons Involved in Accidents with Unin- Damages
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Established October 1895 More women seeking help for substance abuse PAGE 4 Wednesday June 16, 2021 $1 VAT Inclusive ‘A TOTAL DISGRACE’ MINISTER of Housing, Lands and “These are trucks that were put down funds of the government of Barbados and Minister Duguid said there were ap- Maintenance, Dr. William Duguid, has by the previous DLP administration in taxpayer money to have put those trucks proximately 13 trucks, however efforts blasted the former Democratic Labour 2013, and they were driven into what down; put those Bobcats down, put those have been made in recent times to try to Party (DLP) Administration for aban- was then the Drainage Unit at Prince trailers down and just left them to salvage some of the trucks as well as doning several trucks, which he believes Road Depot and just left to deteriorate. deteriorate, rather than using the oppor- equipment. could have been put to good use across These were trucks that were working; tunity to be able to put them to use at “They were 12 or 13 trucks, but I think various government departments. these were trucks that could have been National Housing, or MTW or the various we salvaged about three by putting parts “It’s just a total disgrace,” Dr. Duguid put into use at other departments. But ministries that need trucks from time to from others…And we were able to use said, revealing that each truck had a when they brought the National time,” he stressed. some of those trailers by repurposing trailer and a Bobcat attached when left Environment Enhancement Programme “I would hazard a guess that each of them. But the Bobcats were unsavable. at the Drainage Unit. to an end in 2013…they put down not those trucks would probably cost about “The losses could be in the vicinity Yesterday, he gave members of the only these trucks, but they also put down $200 000 to $250 000 at that time, and of $4 million to $5 million that they media a closer look at the deteriorating the trailers and the Bobcats and left they obviously had good use, and were would have just put to sit down,” he conditions of the vehicles, which are no them to rot. still able and capable to provide good said. longer road worthy. “It is a total mismanagement of the service to the people of Barbados.” (TL) Minister of Housing, Lands and Maintenance, Dr. William Duguid showing members of the media the abandoned trucks. Road safety advocate wants uninsured drivers prosecuted THERE is concern that too many vehi- persons involved in accidents with unin- damages. But as far as I know, none of the person who was wronged. cles are driving on our nation’s roads sured drivers have a hard time those people are prosecuted, none what- “It is for the police to take up the without insurance and a local road safety recouping costs for repairs or being com- soever,” he said. matter and charge those uninsured driv- advocate is calling on the authorities to pensated for any injuries sustained. With that in mind, the BRSA’s vice ers... So whenever someone gets into an prosecute the offenders. “What insurance companies do, for the president suggested that there could be accident, and any of the parties are unin- In a recent interview with The most part, if the at fault party has no in- greater collaboration between the insur- sured, the insurance company should en- Barbados Advocate, Vice President of surance, they enter into an agreement ance companies and the police to make sure the police get that information if the Barbados Road Safety Association with that uninsured party to pay a little sure that these matters are brought to they do not go to the scene of the accident. (BRSA), John Herbert, noted that bit over a period of time to pay for the court, so that there is some justice for CHARGE THEM on Page 3 2 • Wednesday June 16, 2021 The Barbados Advocate The Barbados Advocate Wednesday June 16, 2021 • 3 Paul: Support local agriculture sector Authorities CONSUMERS are being en- Farmers face several difficulties being able to meet demand for those farms to try to ensure urged to step couraged to support the and one of them is that they can- produce, but the problem may more consistency of supply,” local agricultural sector and not monitor what is it being im- not be with the entire sector,but Paul stated. to give special consideration ported, and much too often they instead certain farmers. He ex- He said the argument that the in to keep to buying produce that is are forced to compete with im- plained that some establish- sector cannot meet the demand grown here. ported produce even though ments buy from particular farm- is often used to justify why large roads safe The call to buy local is coming they have large quantities of the ers and when their needs cannot quantities of commodities are from Chief Executive Officer of same types of produce on hand, be met, they say the sector as a imported into the island. CHARGE THEM from Page 1 the Barbados Agricultural produce which they grow here,” whole has failed. With that in mind, he said Society (BAS), James Paul, and he said. “...But in truth and in fact, if that to ensure the sector is pro- Then once the police have es- is going out not only to individ- Noting that this situation does they were to work with organi- ducing to meet the demands, tablished that you don’t have ual consumers, but commercial not have to persist, he said the sations such as the BAS, that then farmers need to also work insurance, to court we go, be- entities as well including super- BAS would like to have closer have a wider group of members closer together. But, he admit- cause you have broken the law, markets and restaurants. He working relationships with the that they can actually source ted, sometimes farmers find it so you have to be punished for insisted that purchasing locally- major supermarket chains, as from, at least you can mitigate difficult to work together and this. And once you make exam- grown produce helps to keep well as the hotels and restau- against the impact of failure on share information as readily as ples of one or two, I believe, the farms functioning, helps to re- rants in general in this country, one farm. It is very difficult for they should because of a “jeal- rest will fall in line,” he stated. tain jobs and save valuable for- especially as the tourism indus- one farm to maintain consistent ousy factor”, and he insisted ef- eign exchange. try seeks to rebound. production of a commodity. On forts must be made to root this Reduce the speed “I would like to see greater Paul’s comments came as he the other hand, if you have a out. He stated that the BAS is Herbert’s remarks came as he commitment from the super- stated that too often the farming number of farms, we can actu- willing to play its part in that also expressed concern about markets to buying local produce. community is accused of not ally rotate production among regard. the number of accidents that are occurring across the high- ways and byways of the island. He said in addition to the major and minor accidents Newly renovated ‘Gatehouse’ ready for use that occur, there have also been a lot of near misses, and THE Ministry of Housing, he attributes a lot of this to the Lands and Maintenance is high speeds that persons drive pushing full steam ahead with at. its Rejuvenation and Repair of “We are so fortunate that we Crown Properties Project, hand- have not had more serious ac- ing over the latest renovated cidents than we have had so building yesterday. far, but we do have a lot of ac- The once derelict “Gatehouse” cidents. I work with an insur- at the old Barbados Water ance company and if you were Authority (BWA) Complex, The to speak to the insurance com- Pine, St. Michael, which has panies, you would see the undergone major renovations, amount of accidents that they will now house the Quantity have every single day,particu- Surveyors Department of the larly on weekends and partic- Ministry of Transport, Works ularly when there is a bank and Water Resources. holiday...We in the Association Minister of Housing, Lands believe that accidents are and Maintenance, Dr. William mostly preventable, and in Duguid presented the keys to fact, some people argue that Minister in the Ministry of they [are] 100 per cent pre- Water Resources, Charles ventable, but yet, we still Griffith, revealing to the media continue to have accidents be- that the “Gatehouse” was com- cause people do not use our pleted on time and within the roads in the way that they $230 000 budget. should be used,” he said. “I’m extremely happy with the Herbert contends that the result and I am sure that the authorities must intervene to Quantity Surveyor Department help keep the roads safe. that’s about to take up residence “This pandemic has proven here very shortly will be happy that we cannot leave people to with the result as well,” he ex- police themselves. We need pressed. Government intervention – “Just imagine for us to have policing on the roads and rented this space for the QS proper enforcement of the Department from somebody laws. else, at $35, $40 or $50 per “Something that we may square foot, per year, it would need to look at, too, is how we quickly come up to the amount Minister of Housing, Lands and Maintenance, Dr.