IMPOTENT. This word keeps growing in my mind as I think about the weak stance of the people in charge of the country's killer traffic conditions. Despite the cries of distraught women, the men in charge quite understandably, say little. Perhaps this overwhelming situation makes them feel tiny. It is always difficult for men to admit that they are not up to the task; that they are not vigorous enough to get the job
done. The traffic department, if pressured to say something, will more than likely blame their faulty or their shortage of proper equipment.

Now, public outrage is being expressed that the penalty imposed by a magistrate on two traffic offenders were not stiff enough! Guyanese women mourn the floppy outcome! Letter writers to the local Newspaper decry what they believe to be a wimpy and soft Court decision. The writers seem to bemoan the limpness of the legal system and the flaccidity of the entire situation must have made the people at the Home Affairs Ministry even more deflated.

By the way, did I really read right? Did the traffic department actually put their stones on the road to signal traffic that they are painting pedestrian crossings? One newspaper report indicated that they
did and a bus crashing into these stones caused the death of four young people (Chronicle Jan 13th.) Stones as traffic signals on a highway? In which part of the world does this happen? Oh yes, only in Guyana!

In a real country, huge stones on a highway would be considered a deadly obstruction! This whole bizarre scenario is so unbelievably stupid that it would have been funny, but the loss of precious life makes it sad and yes, it makes it sickening too.

"Onward, upward may we ever go. Day-by-Day strength and beauty grow. . ."? I doubt it, seriously.

Justin DeFreitas.