Motorcyclists plead with gov’t

Commercial motorcyclists in the Barnersville community in Gardnersville outside Monrovia have submitted a communication to Atty. Lafayette Gould, pleading with the counsel to transmit their message to Justice Minister Cllr. Benedict Sannoh, recommending for government to fine traffic violators, other than perpetually seizing their motorbikes.

After presenting the statement to Atty. Gould on Saturday, 19 March at the LPRC Football Field following a brief football match, the group head Gabriel L. Wanneh told The NewDawn that they want police to levy fine of US$10 to bike operators, instead of allegedly taking them to the Police Training Academy in Paynesville.

He claimed there were instances when officers allegedly sold motorbikes seized from commercial drivers, which he says puts them out of business. But Atty. Gould, who is Montserrado County District 11 representative hopeful, upon receiving the statement, clarified that government does not sanction the alleged sale of bikes after being impounded for a lengthy period.

He suggested that the motorcyclists do have the responsibility to complain to the director or police whoever that they know to have seized and later sold their bikes, citing regulations on how bikes should be retrieved after seizure.

Atty. Gould however told this paper how he sponsored the sports tournament between the motorcyclists, at the end of which he presented trophies and awards to the winners and closed competitors of the match.

After touring other communities within the district, Atty. Gould said he had been talking with the residents to give them the opportunity to do their own assessment of those aspiring to represent them at the Liberian Legislature.

Earlier, the Religious Advisor to the Director of Police, Rev. G. Peter Gibson, admonished commercial motorbike riders to exercise care in traffic, being fully aware that police officers would arrest them if the carry on violation.

But he assured them that they will not be beaten up by officers for traffic offense, adding that opposed to what it was in the past, no one will sell their motorbikes after seizure.

By Winston W. Parley-Edited by Jonathan Browne