The country has just learnt with stunned disbelief of another bloody road tragedy, which has claimed a number of precious lives (?). Road accidents and their mounting human and material costs are subjects which we have found to be very alarming in such a tiny island like ours. (?) Sooner or later the authorities need to take remedial action and put all their efforts into constructive and positive decisions to combat road accidents by the elimination of certain kind of vehicles on our roads.

Time and again we have noticed the constant increasing vehicle population in Mauritius and many a time make it known that we won?t have any road safety protection. Road safety measure is going to be tremendously affected because vehicle imports are continuing at a steady pace, regardless of whether we have the physical and human resources and capacity to deal with this unnerving attribute of ?modernisation?.

Clearly, vehicle imports need to be guided by a rational policy based on ground realities and national priorities. Let us not run away with the delusion that this steady influx of vehicles puts us on the fast road to ?progress?.

Coupled with this review of our vehicle import policy ? if we have one ? we also need to tighten the screws on the procedures relating to the granting of driving licences. Anyone undergoing the harrowing experience of driving on our highways would realize that our roads are teeming with persons who do not possess the basic competence to drive a vehicle.

On and off, we learn of plans by the authorities concerned to toughen the conditions for the issuing of driving licences. This is a need that should be met urgently. It is only those who pass the most stringent of driving tests who should be granted licences.

Besides, drivers of vehicles should be subjected to periodic competence tests to assess their continued suitability to be at the wheel. There is no question of the authorities considering it a closed chapter once persons are issued driving licences. They need to be constantly monitored. (?) The mere cancellation of driving licences of those found guilty of perpetrating road deaths on account of reckless, irresponsible driving is just not sufficient.

All this would necessitate a stronger and more effective police presence on our highways and we are quite aware that our police force is overstretched. It is for these reasons that a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary evaluation of our traffic problem is needed.

Ahmad MACKY