In Guyana, one of the organisations synonymous with raising awareness and calling for the better use of the roadways is the Alicea Foundation or as it is commonly known, “Mothers in Black”. For over two decades, the Foundation has been raising awareness and calling for safer use of the roadways.
According to the website, the Alicea Foundation, a not-for -company registered on November 11, 1997, was formed by Denise Dias when her daughter Alicea died. Fuelled by the sudden death of her 17-year-old daughter in August 1996 owing to the recklessness of an allegedly drunken driver, Dias established the Alicea Foundation. With other grieving mothers and concerned citizens, Dias organised a weekly one-hour vigil outside Parliament Building. For nigh-on four years mothers and supporters of Mothers In Black stood silently dressed in black with pictures of their lost loved ones until the eventual road safety legislation was passed for the use of helmets, seat belts, breathalysers and radar guns.
The Alicea Foundation has advocated and lobbied over many years for new and improved relevant road safety laws and their enforcement as well as road safety education in our schools. While the Alicea Foundation was set up as a non-profit, non-governmental organisation with the aim of highlighting the senseless loss of lives to dangerous drivers, the active arm or
movement is the “Mothers In Black”.
“We are mothers who have lost our loved ones, slaughtered on our roads. We are asking for our present laws to be enforced. We are mothers who condemn speeding. We are mothers against drinking and driving,” the website states.
Earlier this year Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II recognised Dias as the 17th Commonwealth Point of Light in honour of her exceptional voluntary work campaigning for better road safety regulations. Each Commonwealth Point of Light receives a personalised certificate signed by Her Majesty as Head of the Commonwealth.
Dias continues to work and raise awareness for better roads.
Going back to Friday, August 23, 1996 when tragedy struck the Dias family. According to Dias, in a previous interview, she was at home in their Oleander Gardens, East Demerara home awaiting the arrival of her eldest child who has just gotten a part-time job with an advertising agency. She said that her daughter was an excellent artist and full of promise, so talented that she was seconded to Trinidad to work as a junior graphic artist for one year.
Alicea was struck down some time around 17:00h a few feet from their home and when her mother ran to the scene, she was confronted with the sight of her daughter lying there taking what would be her last few breaths. Someone assisted to take Alicea to the hospital, but by the time they arrived, it was too late.
The driver fled the scene, but was later arrested and charged. He had been previously involved in an accident that saw a senior citizen losing their life as well. He would eventually flee the country and never return – justice was never served.(Times Sunday
Magazine)
