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‘Do your job’

by Marlon Madden
3 min read
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Sharmane Roland-Bowen

In light of a number of recent accidents across the island, the Barbados Road Safety Association (BRSA) is pleading with the Royal Barbados Police Force (RBPF) to immediately start enforcing breathalyzer testing.

Though acknowledging that not all accidents were as a result of alcohol consumption, president of the BRSA Sharmane Roland-Bowen told Barbados TODAY she believed there were drunk drivers on the roads who continued to put people’s lives at risk, as well as their own.

Questioning the hold-up of the enforcement of the breathalyzer testing, which came into law in late 2017 under the relevant section of the amended Road Traffic Act, Roland-Bowen said she was aware that the necessary equipment has been on island since the beginning of this year.

Barbados TODAY was unable to confirm this, and the RBPF said it was “not in a position to comment”.

However, Roland-Bowen said she was begging authorities to start enforcing the law, adding that all that was now required was training.

“The Royal Barbados Police Force is in charge of the next move where this breathalyzer is concerned. Everything is in their ability now to bring that into fruition, to bring that into enforcement. We have Christmas coming up shortly and nothing seems to be on the table as it relates to the enforcement,” said complained.

“We know that the breathalyzers are there
. . . The Royal Barbados Police Force, they are to serve and to protect the public. Protecting people and saving lives and reducing accidents on the roads are all a part of protection,” she said.

So far, the country has recorded some eight fatal road accidents, and scores more fender benders and non-fatal accidents.

Pointing out that it could take between one and two days for officers to be trained in the use of the equipment with the help of a road safety expert, Roland-Bowen said she was at a loss as to “why this isn’t done”.

She said she feared that many of the accidents happening across the island could be avoided if the breathalyzer testing was being enforced.

“There were a lot of accidents [on Tuesday] alone. These things should not be happening. Some of them can be prevented. As a deterrent the breathalyzer needs to be enforced. I don’t want this to go from one filing cabinet to another filing cabinet. It was in one filing cabinet too long. These things are not fair to the travelling public. So the police have the authority now,” she insisted.

“Why is it taking so long? They need to be on the roads. It needs to be enforced. We are begging . . . Please, Mr Commissioner, do whatever you can in your ability to get these breathalyzers up and running. People’s lives and safety are depending on it,” said Roland-Bowen, pointing out that during the
Christmas season people tend to consume more alcohol.

“The training is now the obstacle . . . first it was the legislation, then it was the breathalyzer, now it is the training. All of that before you get the enforcement and these are taking way too long. Something definitely needs to be done,” she insisted.

The BPSA will be observing road safety month in November.
marlonmadden@barbadostoday.bb

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