The Road Traffic Department cited more than 500 persons for offences on New Providence in less than two months owing to efforts in the “Operation Clean-Up” programme, Assistant Superintendent of Police Willard Cunningham, Sr., officer in charge of the police forceļ¾“s Traffic Division, said Wednesday. “Since we have started “Operation Clean-Up,” we have reaped great dividends (in making the streets safer),” he said.
The initiative, which was implemented in October, is a campaign by the Road Traffic Department to reduce the number of serious and fatal accidents in The Bahamas, to enforce the traffic laws, and to target certain traffic offences, such as four-way-stop infractions, failure to keep left, tinted windows and running traffic lights.
ASP Cunningham said the initiative targets certain “hot spots” for traffic accidents, which include the Cable Beach strip, East Bay Street , Prince Charles Drive and Carmichael , Coral Harbour and Gladstone Roads.
“We will be up and about, and we will be very visible throughout the next couple of weeks left in this year,” he said. “We want the motoring public to know that the reason why we mount this operation is because we want the roads to become safe for all and sundry.”
ASP Cunningham warned drivers who engage in speeding, especially on the weekend, that they should be assured that his division will be out “in goodly numbers” to crack down on their activities.
Inspector Lula Dean of the division added that she feels that the general public is “very pleased” to see traffic personnel and police officers on the streets. “This will help to deter crime and keep traffic offences at a minimum,” she said.
ASP Cunningham also admonished offenders attempting to escape a traffic stop by turning before they are approached that the police have cyclists on the scene who can follow them to issue tickets.
“There is no hiding place in The Bahamas,” he said. “We will be in every corner, at every intersection. We will be up and about this Christmas season to ensure that the rules and regulations of our streets are enforced to their fullest.
“We feel that this time of year is when most of the serious and fatal accidents take place. We are committed and mandated by our Commissioner, Paul H. Farquharson, to ensure that we bring law and order to the streets, and we are committed to doing just that.
“We will do this, as I have said before, until every driver, every pedestrian, feels safe once again.”
By Eric Rose
Bahamas Information Services
