By Alfred Sasako
DECEMBER is often regarded in the Christian calendar as the month which ushers in the festive season and spirit.
While the festive spirit is no doubt there, the beginning of the month is being overshadowed by accidents, some with reported fatalities.
There have been ugly road accidents since December 1, when a truck allegedly carrying timber overturned on Snake Hill in West Guadalcanal. There are conflicting reports about the number of deaths. The driver was allegedly under the influence of liquor.
Some say that as many as twenty people lost their lives in the accident. Others say there were 10 deaths. Still others say there were three deaths.
On the same day, a family waiting to catch a bus from Rove escaped by the skin of their teeth when a three-ton truck ploughed into a brick wall just outside the Outback building opposite the Police Headquarters.
A young driver was reportedly trapped inside the truck for some time before he was freed. The accident caused delays of west-bound traffic for at least an hour. Again, the driver was allegedly under the influence of alcohol.
A few days earlier a man was killed when he was hit by a truck in Honiara on Thursday last week. Police were said to be still hunting down the vehicle and its driver.
On Malaita, a logging dump truck plunged into the Dala South River when it was crossing the wooden bridge. Luckily, there were no reported fatalities.
One can only hope that the English idiom still holds true: A bad beginning makes a good ending.
Perhaps with less alcohol consumption during the festive season, we can hope for a good ending this Christmas/New Year festive season.
