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THE Guyana National Road Safety Council (GNRSC) yesterday launched their National Road Safety Strategy Plan 2013-2020 and handed over the Global Road Status Report on Road Safety to Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee. The launch was held at the Regency Hotel, Hadfield Street, Georgetown.
The 2013-2020 Road Safety Strategy Plan was developed by the GNRSC in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) and other stakeholders.
The content of the strategy reflects the GNRSC’s unwavering commitment to make roads in Guyana safe for all road users. In addition it underscores the council’s determination to actively participate in national, regional and global efforts to enhance road safety initiatives.
It is also an expression of the council’s resolve to increase their effectiveness in addressing road safety issues that impact on health and the increase in fatalities.
Delivering the feature address at the launch, Minister Rohee noted that the GNRSC is a very important organisation in Guyana but it is still to be recognised by some citizens. He also noted that road safety is very important to an economy that is growing with new housing schemes spreading, commercial areas developing and more vehicles coming into the country, and these among other factors are points that should be taken into account.
Minister Rohee went on to say that there is need for a more aggressive approach with regard to traffic education and law enforcement.
More Traffic Officers
Meanwhile, he disclosed that in the coming weeks another batch of traffic officers will be graduating from the Police Training College at Eve Leary and his hope is to have a police officer on every corner.
He noted that these officers were handpicked to be traffic officers because “if we do not have proper traffic officers it will have a negative effect on everyone.”
Minister Rohee stated that his ministry will continue to support the GNRSC and is proceeding with a study of proposals in relation to one way streets and more bills in Parliament on citizen security as well as dialogue with new stakeholders on citizen security.
And also delivering remarks was Traffic Chief, Hugh Denhert who stated that the police would have to continue making a number of interventions and in some instances initiate action in order to fulfil the objectives of the GNRSC. He highlighted the imperatives of making traffic safety a core value, integrating traffic safety throughout all operations of the force, and providing the necessary training, equipment and staff to fulfil the responsibility of ensuring traffic safety for the public.
He also pointed out several benefits which could be derived from success in the implementation of the Road Safety Strategy Plan, such as improved morale and motivation, higher levels of focus and support for traffic safety, reduced vehicle collisions and their related cost impact as well as answers to the many problems associated with congestion, including parking chaos.
The objectives of the 2013-2020 Road Safety Strategy Plan includes: strengthening road safety systems, management and enforcement at the national and regional levels in Guyana through enhanced capacity for agencies and stakeholders involved in addressing road safety, making roads safe and easy to use by all roads users in Guyana, making vehicles safe for drivers and passengers, improving the behaviour of road users through comprehensive programmes and enhancing response to post-crash emergencies by improving health services and other programmes involved in responding to road traffic accidents.
The 2013-2020 Road Safety Strategy Plan was developed by the GNRSC in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) and other stakeholders.
The content of the strategy reflects the GNRSC’s unwavering commitment to make roads in Guyana safe for all road users. In addition it underscores the council’s determination to actively participate in national, regional and global efforts to enhance road safety initiatives.
It is also an expression of the council’s resolve to increase their effectiveness in addressing road safety issues that impact on health and the increase in fatalities.
Delivering the feature address at the launch, Minister Rohee noted that the GNRSC is a very important organisation in Guyana but it is still to be recognised by some citizens. He also noted that road safety is very important to an economy that is growing with new housing schemes spreading, commercial areas developing and more vehicles coming into the country, and these among other factors are points that should be taken into account.
Minister Rohee went on to say that there is need for a more aggressive approach with regard to traffic education and law enforcement.
More Traffic Officers
Meanwhile, he disclosed that in the coming weeks another batch of traffic officers will be graduating from the Police Training College at Eve Leary and his hope is to have a police officer on every corner.
He noted that these officers were handpicked to be traffic officers because “if we do not have proper traffic officers it will have a negative effect on everyone.”
Minister Rohee stated that his ministry will continue to support the GNRSC and is proceeding with a study of proposals in relation to one way streets and more bills in Parliament on citizen security as well as dialogue with new stakeholders on citizen security.
And also delivering remarks was Traffic Chief, Hugh Denhert who stated that the police would have to continue making a number of interventions and in some instances initiate action in order to fulfil the objectives of the GNRSC. He highlighted the imperatives of making traffic safety a core value, integrating traffic safety throughout all operations of the force, and providing the necessary training, equipment and staff to fulfil the responsibility of ensuring traffic safety for the public.
He also pointed out several benefits which could be derived from success in the implementation of the Road Safety Strategy Plan, such as improved morale and motivation, higher levels of focus and support for traffic safety, reduced vehicle collisions and their related cost impact as well as answers to the many problems associated with congestion, including parking chaos.
The objectives of the 2013-2020 Road Safety Strategy Plan includes: strengthening road safety systems, management and enforcement at the national and regional levels in Guyana through enhanced capacity for agencies and stakeholders involved in addressing road safety, making roads safe and easy to use by all roads users in Guyana, making vehicles safe for drivers and passengers, improving the behaviour of road users through comprehensive programmes and enhancing response to post-crash emergencies by improving health services and other programmes involved in responding to road traffic accidents.
