While it appears that fatalities on the road in Jamaica have declined slightly this year, we must not take our eyes off the ball – especially as far as our vulnerable children are concerned. This week there will be an important policy forum. Please find details below…
Olympic Champions Join Call For Road Safety: Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce and Elaine Thompson to Speak at Road Safety Policy Forum
Kingston, Jamaica – 13 December 2017: Olympic sprint champions Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Elaine Thompson will join stakeholders to call for action on road safety at the Child Health Initiative & Jamaica National Road Safety Council Policy Forum on Thursday, December 14 and Friday, December 15.
The forum which is being hosted in partnership with the FIA Foundation* and Amend will be targeting stakeholders from the Government ministries, agencies and private sector, in identifying policy framework to address the local challenges pertaining to road safety.
Prime Minister the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, who has been invited to speak will join other high level government officials in the opening ceremony on Thursday morning, including: Minister of Education, The Hon. Ruel Reid; Minister of Transport, The Hon. Lester Michael Henry and Chief Medical Officer at the Ministry of Health, Dr. Winston De La Haye.
The Kingston forum will address major issues and vulnerabilities in road safety affecting Jamaica, with a particular focus on motorcycle riders and pedestrians, who are common victims of road crashes. The Olympic Champions will join the Call to Action on behalf of the nation’s children to ensure safe travel to school.
Vice Chairman of the NRSC Dr. Lucien Jones commented: “Road accidents are the global number one killer of school-age children, especially older children. Here in Jamaica, we will be stepping up our efforts and practical steps to protect our children as they take the journey – often a challenging one – from home to school and back. While road fatalities in general are projected to decline by around 10 per cent this year, there was a dramatic increase in child traffic deaths in 2016. We must remain vigilant.”
Avi Silverman, FIA Foundation Deputy Director said: “Around the world we know only too well that children are among the most vulnerable on the roads. We must do all we can to protect them. Jamaica has the potential to make huge progress and to become a global leader this effort. We’re delighted to be able to support our partners in Jamaica take a lead in this fight to save lives. Every life we save is precious and every child deserves a safe journey to school. We must not fail our children.”
The NRSC partnered with the FIA Foundation and the United Nations Development Programme in May of this year for a high-level event at Jamaica House to mark UN Global Road Safety Week. Olympic gold medallist Yohan Blake, UN Special Envoy for Road Safety Jean Todt, and Global Ambassador for the Global Initiative for Child Health & Mobility Zoleka Mandela joined the event.
The FIA Foundation is an independent UK-based non-profit that supports a range of international programmes promoting road safety, the environment and sustainable mobility. It has an enviable reputation for innovative global road safety philanthropy and impactful advocacy in the areas of road traffic injury prevention, air quality and fuel efficiency.
*The FIA Foundation is an independent global philanthropy focused on road safety and sustainable mobility. Visit www.fiafoundation.org
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