President Ali cited for lip service on road safety

Last Updated on Sunday, 20 April 2025, 20:30 by Writer

Retired Assistant Police Commissioner, Paul Slowe, and opposition parliamentarian, Ganesh Mahipaul on Sunday heaped criticism on President Irfaan Ali for apparently giving lip service to road safety by failing to wear a helmet while being on a motorcycle and being in the company of several others who did likewise.

“That is the epitome of lawlessness. What happen to leadership by example? Remember the saying: monkey see monkey do!” said Mr Slowe, who is also a former traffic chief.

Mr Slowe also said on his Facebook page that after telling the nation that 43% of road fatalities are motorcyclists and 72% of them were not wearing safety helmets at the time of the accident, a few days later “you (the President) are on a motorcycle without a safety helmet, loudly revving same, with several others around you who are also not wearing safety helmet.”

Dr Ali on Saturday posted a picture and a video of himself and several other bikers in the Rupununi as he urged them to join in revving their motorcycles as he shouted “We votin’ PPPC…Yeah, we revving into the future, yeah.”

Among those on motorcycles was a rural constable, next to the President, who was outfitted in headwear and a T-shirt with the Guyana Police Force’s crest on both.

The President last week said on his official Facebook page that, “I am appealing to all road users, especially motorcyclists, to exercise extreme caution on our roadways.”

Opposition APNU+AFC parliamentarian, Ganesh Mahipaul also weighed in on the President’s inconsistency between his concern about the road carnage and his own actions.

He said , three days after saying that, “Irfaan is on a motorcycle, revving the engine loudly, surrounded by several riders on motorbikes, none wearing helmets. What matters to Irfaan is optics, not genuine care, caution, or concern.”

The Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act says anyone driving a motor vehicle without a fixed identification mark shall be guilty of an offence. The Act’s regulations also requires motorcyclists and pillion riders to wear helmets.

Commenting on last week’s Facebook appeal by the President, Eldon Todd said “Mr president with all due respect, is either you you are dreaming or you are not living in Guyana, drivers are immune to traffic education, appealing and any sort of speech. The only thing that will work is to enforce drastic laws. Stop overthinking, stop undertaking stop and check all motorcycles etc. talking will never work.”

Joey Singh advised the President: “You don’t appeal to them. Enforce the freaking laws and let them pay the penalties. Only then Guyanese will learn.”

Romel Harrynandan said the bikers association in Lethem does not focus on safety. “We have a bike culture in Lethem.. In fact, there’s a Bike Organisation in Lethem, and not one day I seen or heard they promoting safety on the roadways.. To date about 6 of them lost their lives, but you know, they continue and it’s business as usual.”