Searchlight Logo
special_image

    • News
      • Front Page
      • News
      • Breaking News
      • Press Release
      • Features
      • Special Features
      • From the Courts
      • Sports
      • Regional / World
    • Opinions
      • Editorial
      • Our Readers’ Opinions
      • Bassy – Love Vine
      • Dr. Fraser- Point of View
      • R. Rose – Eye of the Needle
      • On Target
      • Dr Jozelle Miller
      • The World Around Us
      • Random Thoughts
    • Advice
      • Kitchen Corner
      • What’s on Fleek this week
      • Health Wise
      • Physician’s Weekly
      • Business Buzz
      • Hey Rosie!
      • Prime the pump
    • ePaper
    • Obituaries
      • In Memoriam / Acknowledgement
      • Tribute
    • Contact Us
      • Advertise With Us
      • Letters To The Editor
      • General Contact Information
      • Contact our Webmaster
    • About Us
      • Interactive Media Ltd
      • St. Vincent & the Grenadines
    • Subscribe
    • News
      • Front Page
      • News
      • Breaking News
      • Press Release
      • Features
      • Special Features
      • From the Courts
      • Sports
      • Regional / World
    • Opinions
      • Editorial
      • Our Readers’ Opinions
      • Bassy – Love Vine
      • Dr. Fraser- Point of View
      • R. Rose – Eye of the Needle
      • On Target
      • Dr Jozelle Miller
      • The World Around Us
      • Random Thoughts
    • Advice
      • Kitchen Corner
      • What’s on Fleek this week
      • Health Wise
      • Physician’s Weekly
      • Business Buzz
      • Hey Rosie!
      • Prime the pump
    • ePaper
    • Obituaries
      • In Memoriam / Acknowledgement
      • Tribute
    • Contact Us
      • Advertise With Us
      • Letters To The Editor
      • General Contact Information
      • Contact our Webmaster
    • About Us
      • Interactive Media Ltd
      • St. Vincent & the Grenadines
    • Subscribe
Understanding the Law
June 20, 2008

Traffic woes

Sunday, 15th June, 2008, was match day for Vincy Heat against Canada in the first leg of the second round of the CONCACAF ZONE OF THE 2010 World Cup Qualifier. As a result, traffic on the main Windward Highway to Arnos Vale was suspended, as motorists were diverted to the narrow, tortuous Villa Fountain road to merge with the Mesopotamia traffic and the Kingstown traffic that entered via the Roundabout. {{more}} The Vigie Highway had never been overwhelmed as it did on that hot Sunday afternoon Patrons on their way to the games had to accept their fate as vehicles moved at a snail pace. The match started promptly at 3 o’ clock, and some passengers who were travelling by vans left the vehicle to walk the rest of the way to the Arnos Vale Playing Field. Some drivers turned around perhaps to go back home, while others waited out the traffic jam. It took almost 40 minutes to reach in the vicinity of Rent and Drive and by that time football might have been far from the minds of some of those who were on that route.

Emergency Route

I have no doubt that the police did what they were instructed to do, but the inconvenience and the hassle which persons were put through were unnecessary. No one gave thought to the fact that persons would make their own private arrangements for parking. The reason that was given for taking such measures was the need for an emergency route. As it turned out there was no mammoth, rowdy crowd to deserve the stern measure. It, therefore, means that ordinary Vincentians were put through the stress and strain for another day, notwithstanding their week day trauma.

Management of the Roundabout

This brings into sharp focus the issue of the management of the Roundabout and the effects of the road building project. Motorists have been enduring tremendous stress and strain on a daily basis since last year August, on account of the road works in the Arnos Vale area. I know that the workers also suffer a certain degree of inconvenience of building a road while it is being used but it is nothing compared to the pains of the public from the tar, dust, pot holes and delays. With the road building project, a ten to fifteen-minute run from Villa to Kingstown has become a one hour run.

The Roundabout has been a burning issue for a long time. It was designed to enable the traffic from the Mesopotamia and the Windward areas to merge on its way to Kingstown. For years motorists know that they would have to spend at least thirty minutes creeping along between 7.15 a.m. and 8.15 a.m. on week days. Many drivers, especially van drivers, avoid the delays by taking the Villa Fountain road to Belair and back to the main road at Mitsubishi. They know that they are given preference over all the rest and this is why they take the chance to go through the troubles, but their actions cause further delays for users of the Windward Highway. It is not unusual to have stops of ten or more minutes as vehicles make their way to the Roundabout. One gentleman told me that he experienced a stop for twenty five minutes. If this traffic is allowed to move at a fair pace then there would be no need to scramble across the back routes to get ahead of the traffic. The Windward traffic should be given top priority in the traffic confusion on mornings. Think about the waste of productive time and petrol at a time when the price of petrol has reached $14.00 a gallon. If the authorities would do nothing, then the least I could suggest is that you use your time productively- make up your grocery list, put on your make up (ladies), sort out your bills, take your mind off the traffic. Don’t get road rage while you wait!

Ada Johnson is a solicitor and barrister-at-law.
E-mail address is: exploringthelaw@yahoo.com

  • FacebookComments
  • ALSO IN THE NEWS
    12 left homeless in mid-day fire at Richland Park
    Front Page
    12 left homeless in mid-day fire at Richland Park
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    A fire that destroyed a multi-family complex in Richland Park on Monday has left at least 12 people homeless, including a 23-year-old mother of a six-...
    PM responds to US military strike on small boat off Venezuela
    Front Page
    PM responds to US military strike on small boat off Venezuela
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves has responded to reports by the United States administration that its military had carried out the bombing of a boa...
    Building material disappear from the Mary Hutchinson Primary School
    Front Page
    Building material disappear from the Mary Hutchinson Primary School
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    Police investigators on Union Island are said to be looking into the “disappearance” of building materials that were sent to the Southern Grenadine Is...
    What’s new at Fitz Hughes Government School?
    Front Page
    What’s new at Fitz Hughes Government School?
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    by Grace Francis After sharing a small space for over a year, children and teachers at the Fitz Hughes Early Childhood Centre went into brand new prem...
    MRI-6 donates over $70,000 for school meals for vulnerable students
    Front Page
    MRI-6 donates over $70,000 for school meals for vulnerable students
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    Several secondary schools and special needs institutions across St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) have received $5,000 donations towards meals for s...
    Minister of Information Technology  emphasises the importance of Cybersecurity
    News
    Minister of Information Technology emphasises the importance of Cybersecurity
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    Robust cybersecurity must be at the heart of the digital transformation that is currently taking place in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) says Min...
    News
    Minister of Information Technology  emphasises the importance of Cybersecurity
    News
    Minister of Information Technology emphasises the importance of Cybersecurity
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    Robust cybersecurity must be at the heart of the digital transformation that is currently taking place in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) says Min...
    Entities team up to boost disaster communication capacity
    News
    Entities team up to boost disaster communication capacity
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    The Climate Change Resilience Network (CCRN) in collaboration with the Youlou Radio Movement (YRM) recently embarked on a disaster preparedness initia...
    Ministry of Health to get more dialysis machines
    News
    Ministry of Health to get more dialysis machines
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    The Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment, is to obtain three more Heamodialysis machines as part of the revolution in the healthcare secto...
    PM Gonsalves heads delegation to Ethiopia
    News
    PM Gonsalves heads delegation to Ethiopia
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves, is leading a delegation to the East African country of Ethiopia; the delegation left the state on Wednesday, Septe...
    New Port to be opened on October 24- PM Gonsalves
    News
    New Port to be opened on October 24- PM Gonsalves
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    The modern port in Kingstown is expected to be handed over to the government just before this country celebrates its 46th anniversary of political ind...

    E-EDITION
    ePaper
    google_play
    app_store
    Subscribe Now
    • Interactive Media Ltd. • P.O. Box 152 • Kingstown • St. Vincent and the Grenadines • Phone: 784-456-1558 © Copyright Interactive Media Ltd.. All rights reserved.
    We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok