Natural Resources Minister David Abiamofo pointed out that vehicles damage an average of 35 utility poles every month and that these collisions result in power outages in various parts of the country. He explained that drivers must not drive recklessly. “People act as if they are driving on a Formula 1 race track,” said Abiamofo who added that reckless driving often results in collisions with utility poles.The Energy Company Suriname has often sounded the alarm over the rise in the number of collisions with utility poles as this puts a lot of pressure on its network. Minister Abiamofo pointed out that citizens and local businesses often get frustrated as a result of the power outages but explained that not all power outages are caused by glitches. “After a collision parts of the network must be secured and repaired. This process can be complex,” said Minister Abiamofo.