Minister Requena Responds to Road Traffic Incident Speculations

Following much speculations on the road traffic incident that involved Minister Oscar Requena, the minister has responded to several questions regarding his use of the vehicle, among other queries.

Oscar Requena, Minister of Labour: “Yes over the weekend unfortunately I was carrying out my constituency duties and on my way back unfortunately there wa a cyclists that came into my way right where I was coming and to be honest I had to decide between having the potential of knocking down someone or I diverting away from that individual. I chose to do the latter and praise God you know it was a very close call. I had to really maneuver the vehicle and yes the vehicle did receive some damage and praise God I’m here, I’m okay and no one was hurt.”

Reporter: Some were complaining that you were using the vehicle after hours on a weekend but you said you were doing it for work business.

Oscar Requena, Minister of Labour: “Let’s be real. Let’s be real there are persons out there, political mischief makers and I want to say it’s unfortunate that out of a potential tragedy that people would want to make all kinds of allegations and it’s unfortunate. You know you should not use someone’s misfortune to be able to make these kinds of petty mischievous allegations. You know honestly I am a very hard working minister. I am in my constituency, I am out there working. Over the weekend we were running the third annual Requena Football Tournament. Every weekend we do that, our people are out there working very hard, I am out there and in fact I was coming from one of the villages when that happened so I’m here, praise God for that and we continue to work.”

Also speaking on the matter was Police Commissioner Chester Williams who confirmed that at no time did Minister Requena leave the accident scene before the Police officers arrived.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police: “I don’t know if abandoned any scene I did not receive that. I was briefed by the Officer Commanding Toledo District that the Minister was involved an accident where he ran off the road and from my understanding he was there when police first arrived and they dealt with the matter as they would do with other accidents.”

The incident occurred on Sunday night just after eight o’clock in the Toledo District.  Reports indicate that Requena was traveling from San Antonio Village when he encountered an individual crossing the highway, at the approach of Mafredi Village.  Love News understands that the incident led to a power outage along the Thomas Vincent Ramos Highway from Hicatee to Laguna Road, including the villages of Hicatee, Silver Creek, Big Falls.  Other areas reportedly affected are areas along San Antonio Road, including San Pedro Columbia, the Dump Area, San Marcos, Mafredi, Crique Jute, among others.