Section of UG Road was closed without adequate notification to road users

Dear Editor, Somethings happen in Guyana that are simply beyond comprehension. Simple things or procedures, when not properly organized or implemented often become major inconveniences or burdensome issues to those of us who live here.

On Saturday afternoon, July 21, at around 6 pm, I decided to visit one of Georgetown’s famous malls. One of the routes to get there is north along the University of Guyana (UG) access road, if one is approaching from the southern section of the city. So, I drove east along Dennis Street Sophia and turned north onto the UG road.

As I approached the entrance to UG from its eastern side I noticed, a short distance ahead, an improvised barricade of three painted oil drums along with traffic cones lined across the roadway from one end to the next. An excavator, which was at work, had dug a huge trenching across the roadway. PVC drainage culverts were being installed.

I was completely dumbfounded. A sudden impediment to my journey out of the blue.

A small crowd had gathered to

spectate the ongoing work. I pulled into the corner of the road just in front the UG entrance and parked my vehicle. I had a big question on my mind and was hoping that one of the workmen there could have answered it. While I made my way towards the workmen, several other equally uninformed motorists caught by the abrupt road closure were forced to turn around the best way they could.

I asked one of the workmen if the person in-charge of the works was there. His hurried response was in the negative, but I believe he wasn’t truthful.

It is ridiculous that after 50 years of independence, a main roadway could be closed to vehicular traffic in Guyana and adequate notification not provided to road-users. No “approaching road closure” or detour signs were placed a mile away for road users’ awareness. International standards set out what temporary traffic control entail: details of specific work activities, inconvenience time/ days, as well as detouring traffic options should be publicized. That is elementary stuff!

That dug-up section of road connects traffic from the East Coast and surrounding areas to UG, Cummings Lodge, Sophia, South Georgetown, the East Bank, and vice versa. It is one of the main alternative routes other than Sheriff Street linking the East Coast to Georgetown. Yet, whoever was responsible for carrying out that construction did not see it fit to place signs at the Dennis Street/ UG access road or the Dennis Street/ Eastern Highway Junctions. The person/ persons obviously didn’t consider the mobility or security implications, although there are several which I will not detail here. Yours faithfully, Orette Cutting