The members of the city council started with a moment of silence, commemorating the conductor Anitra Niedris and the singer of the “Nošu planeta” choir, Ketrina Raena Kušneri, who died in a car accident on January 10.
Five members of the opposition proposed the creation of a working group that would develop proposals to further reduce risks in the organization and operation of school transport. The opposition MPs proposed to include one MP from each political force elected in the Duma in the working group.
Deputy Aivars Lembergs (“For Latvia and Ventspils”) criticized that politicians want to make a show against the background of a tragedy. He explained that neither issuing a driver’s license, nor a technical inspection of a vehicle, nor issuing a medical certificate to a driver is a matter of competence of the municipality, therefore it is not useful to develop any proposals. In his opinion, the tragic car accident could be judged if it had been caused by a driver employed by the municipality with a vehicle belonging to the municipality. This time it is not the case, therefore creating a working group before the municipal elections will be just a show, said Lembergs.
The first deputy chairman of the city council for cooperation issues, Guntis Blumbergs (“For Latvia and Ventspils”) reminded that the chairman of the council Jānis Vītoliņš (“For Latvia and Ventspils”) has issued an order requiring the executive director to create a working group that will evaluate the practice in the municipality, how to organize school transportation to various contests, concerts and other events, as well as will give their proposals for improving the existing order. This working group includes representatives of educational and cultural institutions who deal with these issues on a daily basis.
LETA already wrote that on January 10, in an accident on the Ventspils highway, several children of the Ventspils Music High School Choir “Nošu Planeta” and the singers, conductor and driver of the vocal studio “Masā Princha Planeta” were injured, while one of the choir conductors died.
A total of three children were taken to Children’s Hospital after the accident, including two children in very serious condition and one child in moderate condition. However, on January 11, one of the severely injured children died.
Four victims of the tragic accident are still being treated in hospitals.
The State Police has started criminal proceedings for the incident under Chapter 21 – Criminal offenses against traffic safety.
The police state that the investigation in the criminal process continues. Law enforcers have not yet commented on whether and what status is appropriate for the minibus driver in the case. On Latvian Television, the drivers of the trucks involved in the accident were told that the accident happened when the minibus was making an overtaking maneuver on a snowy road.
Source: www.diena.lv
