0

Bannister pledges safety measures after Munnings Road death

WORKS Minister Desmond Bannister in the House of Assembly.

WORKS Minister Desmond Bannister in the House of Assembly.

By FARRAH JOHNSON

WORKS Minister Desmond Bannister pledged more precautions and safety measures will be implemented on Munnings Road to avoid future fatalities.

Mr Bannister said the ministry is going through the tender process for the construction of a cul-de-sac, but insisted residents should still be careful when using that road.

His comments follow an accident that led to the death of Garvanisha Anastasia Carey early Thursday morning.

In a recent interview with ZNS, Mr Bannister reiterated the cul-de-sac was in compliance with the law.

“I’m very, very sorry to see that the young lady lost her life," he said, "that’s something that none of us would like to see – but the speed limit in that area is 25 mph, and it’s important for all of us to appreciate that we have to obey these speed limits.”

Mr Bannister revealed more warning signs and speed bumps will be added to the area to warn drivers of the road barriers.

He also stated that Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis, the area MP, had placed speed bumps in the area “many many times”, only to have them “taken up.”

“I can tell you that coming from the John F Kennedy Drive, as you come on from the airport gateway, if you come on to Munnings Road, before you get to that area where it’s blocked off you have at least half a mile to a mile of clear vision,” he said.

“So we’re going to do some other things to ensure that persons who try to speed along that road, that they themselves would see. But still it is a very sad lesson that we’re learning about road safety."

Ms Carey was pronounced dead on the scene after her vehicle collided with the barriers.

Her death sparked outrage from many Bahamians who believed the accident could have been avoided.

Comments

tell_it_like_it_is 6 years, 6 months ago

We all know that politics was in the midst of that awful, ugly barrier being placed in the middle of the road. Now an unfortunate soul has lost their life just trying to get to work. "Speed bumps were taken up"? What does that mean exactly? If the government puts down speed bumps (as is done all over the island) who can just come and take them up without consequence? Let's see now... Dr. Minnis is in charge of the government and he is the area MP, but someone will just come and take up the speed bumps in his area? Something isn't right about this story.

Please just put down the speed bumps and remove that horrible barrier so no other life is lost needlessly.

bogart 6 years, 6 months ago

SOMETHIN IS NOT RIGHT.....

WHO WOULD AUTHORIZE ....????.....AND WHO WOULD ....SIGN PAPERS OF INSTRUCTIONS.????.....placing what lookin like Official Road Blocking Concrete Blocks .....in da middle of the PUBLIC ROAD ...!!!!......KNOWING FULLY WELL ....AINT EVERYBODY IN THE BAHAMAS ...GON KNOW BOUT IT.....MUCH LESS WHETHER YINNA .?GON MASH IT GOJN 25 MPH ..?OR ...HOWEVER MUCH MORE SPEED....???....somethin aint right....??

proudloudandfnm 6 years, 6 months ago

If our police did their job properly we would not need all these stupid speed bumps.

CatIslandBoy 6 years, 6 months ago

While I am saddened about the unfortunate loss of life, I cannot ignore the fact that, according to police, speed, above the posted limits, played a major role in this incident. When getting behind the wheel of a vehicle, we have to assume responsibility for our well-being. The Speed Limit signs are posted for a reason. We ignore them at our peril. Stop blaming the government for everything!

sheeprunner12 6 years, 6 months ago

Blame the PLP for their slackness on the roads construction network under the former Minister of Works ......... they hi-jacked those private sub-divisions.

Dezzie is only trying to fix it.

ThisIsOurs 6 years, 6 months ago

It's suspect that the residents were able to block a road paid for with public funds. The lady who died paid to use that road. I suspect this has everything to do with Minnis being the MP for the area. And this is the SECOND person who crashed into that barrier

sealice 6 years, 6 months ago

only (1) road??? Why not just have our traffic police actually write tickets? All they have to do is park at any stop light, and I literally mean any FluCKIN light on the island, and arrest the 2 cars that run the red every EVERY Flocking time.....Make money and get the idiots off the streets - surely that's a dumbed down version of a campaign promise......

Greentea 6 years, 6 months ago

Amen Sealice. Few things more disgraceful than playing politics with someones life and blaming the victim. Was the road properly lit? The articlr mentioned early Thursday morning. How early? Were there signs warning drivers of new impediments far in advance? Apparently not since Banny says they will now put them up. He mentioned there is a clear view of the road in his set up to blame the dead woman. My question again would be when is there a clear view? At 12 noon or 4am or all the time, morning noon and in the dark night? Why put in speed bumps again if Banny says people keep taking them up? What's the point? Money waste again? What would be different this time? And what about the confusion regarding ownership of the road. Is it public or private? If its private then why is the government doing anything? If its public then the family of the deceased should sue EVERYONE in that subdivision who voted to put the barrier in. Like the expat who tried to claim a whole road between Bay St and Dowdeswell street some years ago - putting in the barrier would be ILLEGAL. Banny's position protects the PM and the residents who are clearly responsible in part for this woman's death. He took the politically expedient position. But as someone who I am told has faced his own mortality- he should be ashamed.

ThisIsOurs 6 years, 6 months ago

Yep the family should sue. She paid to use the road

licks2 6 years, 6 months ago

Sue for what Mr. Genius? If yinna would check somethings before yinna run yinna damn lips. . .government cannot put a road on ya private property and call it public road! Private subdivisions are private properties. . .government is responsibility for putting in public infrastructure and maintaining them. . .it do not own the roads!! The developers and HOA own them roads!! I suspect that is why them speed bumps keep coming up. . .the road is not government's so they have no right to place speed bumps on private roads!!

bogart 6 years, 6 months ago

....@sealice.......why do you have to come up wid ..such darn common sense ....logical....intellighnt....obvious....problem solving solution.....?????... These problrns must continue to exist...so that they can become ...important politocal platform issues ..!!!!!!

jackbnimble 6 years, 6 months ago

Sound like because it's the PM constituency, this will be swept under the carpet.

Who the heck puts barriers in the middle of a road anyway? If you don't want traffic to come through, why not close it off entirely or put the barriers at the entrance of the road so that people don't have to figure it out after they come through? Dumb!

licks2 6 years, 6 months ago

Its them people private roads. . .they can put their barriers wherever they want to put them! If my dog comes out into the road a bite you you sue me. . .BUT IF YOU BRING YA TAIL INTO MY YARD AND MY DOG BITE YOU. . .YOU WILL SUE ME FOR MY DOG BITING YOU WHILE YOU ARE TRESPASSING IN MY YARD?

Sign in to comment