Tim Corbin
Trinidad and Tobago Ministry of Transport Awarded 2014 IRF Caribbean Regional Find a Way Award
May 9, 2014
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad — The International Road Federation has awarded its annual Caribbean Regional Find a Way Award to the Trinidad and Tobago Ministry of Transport in recognition of the government’s commitment to the United Nations Decade of Action goal of stabilizing and then reducing global road traffic fatalities by 2020.
In 2011 Trinidad & Tobago established a National Road Safety Council mandated to deal with all matters pertaining to road safety. In 2013, the country saw a spectacular 22% year-on-year drop in fatal traffic injuries. Trinidad and Tobago Transport Minister Stephen Cadiz accepted the award on behalf of the Ministry on the closing day of the 3rd IRF Caribbean Regional Congress. “Road safety is at the forefront of our agenda,” confirmed Minister Cadiz. “Though concerted action, we have achieved very encouraging results. However, we are still losing too many of our citizens to road traffic injuries.” Under Minister Cadiz’s leadership, Trinidad and Tobago has embarked on a multi-pronged approach to investigate the circumstances behind road crashes, strengthen legislation across all risk factors and improve road engineering standards.
“We recognize that those countries that have been most successful in improving their road safety record have done so by taking action across a range of areas,” noted C. Patrick Sankey, IRF president and CEO. “These include adopting better data systems, building quality roads, strengthening legislation and working with all government agencies and civil society stakeholders. To maximize highway safety, transportation system owners must be able to recover any damages to their infrastructure from the driver’s insurance company through Asset Recovery Provision laws, so that there is no excuse not to fund essential repairs to roadside safety devices. I also want to take this opportunity to recognize the contribution made by Trinidad and Tobago’s Police Service as well as the Beverage Alcohol Alliance who have pledged to work with the governments of the Caribbean to ensure the implementation of cohesive and effective laws to stress the importance of not driving under the influence.” The IRF Find A Way Award was instituted in 2012 by His Excellency Eng. Abdullah A. Al-Mogbel, chairman of the International Road Federation, to recognize outstanding personal commitment to safer roads by national, regional, or city government. The award is presented every year on the anniversary of the launch of the U.N. Decade of Action.
For more information, contact Mr. Esteban Salinas at + 1 703 535 1001.
###
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_separator color=”grey”][vc_raw_html]JTNDYnIlM0UlMEElM0NiciUzRQ==[/vc_raw_html][vc_column_text]The International Road Federation, founded in 1948, is a not-for-profit, non-political organization with the mission to encourage and promote development and maintenance of better, safer and more sustainable roads and road networks. With a membership network in 90 countries across six continents, the IRF believes it can make a difference by providing best practices and expert advice to today’s multi-faceted world of transport.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
