Prime Minister Phillip J Pierre has appealed to Saint Lucians to exercise more caution on the roads, as he expressed concern about the strain vehicular accidents are placing on the island’s emergency services.
Speaking during a pre-Cabinet media briefing on Monday, he also called on the media to assist in promoting road safety.
“Our main problem seems to be emergency care to deal with what is called the emergency services…and once again I want to beg the public to drive with more care and attention,” Pierre pleaded during a pre-Cabinet media briefing on Monday.
“Half of these accidents, to my mind, would have been if not [avoided], the damage would have been reduced, if people drove slower. If they drove with more care and attention, these accidents would have been reduced. We have to exercise responsibility; get back to the situation where there was a designated driver. We cannot drink alcohol and drive.”
Appealing directly to the media, Pierre urged collaboration in addressing road safety.
“I want you in the media to join the government…. If you do that, you are not being political, you join the government in saving lives because you can be just on the streets driving and a drunken driver damages, your car and injures yourself or your relatives.
“So I want you to join us in telling people to be more responsible on the roads. It’s a plea that I’m calling out to you, to be more responsible on the roads. We cannot continue with this recklessness,” Pierre urged.
The prime minister noted that the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force has increased road surveillance this year, but he stressed that personal accountability was important.
On the subject of emergency services, Pierre indicated that plans are underway for improvements, although he did not provide specific details.
“We want to enter into a new form of collaboration with the private health providers because we want to have a situation where everyone is on board as far as health is concerned. You will be hearing a lot more about it in the coming days,” he said.
