Bullock advises police to utilize resources better

Chairman of the National Lotteries Authority Murray Bullock has issued a call to the police to clamp down on reckless drivers — especially van drivers.

Bullock made the call on March 19, in Fancy, during the handing over a new 30-seater bus to the community, which replaces the omnibus that plunged into the sea at Rock Gutter on January 12, killing seven.{{more}}

“Too often, we see people carrying passengers, and especially schoolchildren, driving like bats out of hell,” Bullock said, while commending the driver of the new bus, Ulrick Lavia, for the manner in which he drove the bus to Fancy for the ceremony.

“You look like a young man, but you drove with maturity…I want to commend you on the way you handled the bus. I hope it is not just for today. I hope the way you drove today and the due care and attention that you paid to the students and your passengers will continue,” Bullock added.

While stating that he has a good relationship with the police, Bullock suggested that they can utilize their resources better.

“I wonder if the police service cannot be better deployed to look for other things to do rather than monitoring who parks in front of First Caribbean Bank to go inside and quickly withdraw a $100 from the ATM to buy gas and you get clamped.

“Don’t get me wrong, I support the police. I love the police and the police love me, but I am saying that the resources can be better deployed by looking at the reckless way in which some of these operators who carry the future in their hands. The poor children, not knowing better, lean out of the vehicle and laugh when they pass somebody.

“As a country and a community, we have a very difficult task ahead of us. We have to ensure that these kids are trained properly and that they understand their danger. We have to ensure that the people that we put in charge in driving

and transporting and taking care of vehicles, understand the awesome responsibility that they have,” Bullock said.

The new school bus was purchased with funds provided by the National Lotteries Authority (NLA), the Mustique Charitable Trust, PetroCaribe and the Government of St Vincent and the Grenadines. (KW)