Handing Over Ceremony of Eighteen Police Motorcycles for Road Safety Enforcement in 9 Municipalities

In 2019, the Government of Belize received funds in loan financing from the Caribbean Development
Bank (CDB) towards the cost of Belize’s Second Road Safety Project. This event is to roll out Eighteen Fully
Equipped 2020 Kawasaki Versys X 300 ABS Patrol Motorcycles which were handed over to Municipal Traffic
Officers in support of Belize’s Road Safety Master Plan 2030 and the Municipal Road Safety Operational Plan. The
partnership with CDB builds on institutional capacity along with the provision of resources to carry out the task to
save lives from road traffic crashes.
As a nation, working together has resulted in significant improvements in road safety in Belize. One can look back at
the results from the first road safety project, when Belize was the recipient of the Caribbean Development Bank
(CDB) grant funds to assist in the development of an “Investment Plan of Action” for improving road safety in
Belize in December 2010. This cooperation launched in Belize was CDB’s First of its kind as a multi-year road
safety project, using a comprehensive and integrated approach which included the United Nations Pillars of Action
for Road Safety.
Belize then prioritized road safety as a key factor in development and a loan was approved to support interventions
to build the country’s road safety management capacity, improve the safety of road infrastructure and improve postcrash care. This project served as a catalyst to insert road safety in key areas of development! The project also
featured an education component which focused on aspects to promote improved awareness and behaviour change
among motorists and pedestrians to interact safely using a Safe System Approach, improved enforcement of traffic
laws, all in support of “Vision Zero”, meaning that no-one would be killed or seriously injured as a result of a traffic
crash. Belize also benefited from support for the Youth and Road Safety Capacity Building Project through a grant
from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and the Government of Belize (GOB). During the first Road Safety
Project, Belize completed the Belize Road Safety Master Plan 2030 and the Road Safety Operational Plans with the
nine Municipalities in the country.
In 2015 Belize received the IRF Flagship Road Safety Award at the 4th International Road Federation (IRF)
Caribbean Regional Congress. In 2016 Belize received world recognition by being awarded the prestigious Prince
Michael of Kent International Road Safety Award for its leadership in the Belize Road Safety Initiative.
Positive strides have been taken to help contribute to increased awareness in reducing the severity of road traffic
deaths and injuries. However, it will take ongoing combined efforts of all road users, particularly drivers as their
behaviour is key for good judgement. There is no “silver bullet” to fix the issue of traffic crashes, but SPEED
continues to contribute to approximately one-third of all fatal road traffic crashes in high-income countries, and up to half in low- and middle-income countries. Belize is no exception, hence the reason to join the world-wide efforts to
contribute to saving lives from traffic collisions on highways and in urban areas. 20 Traffic Enforcement Officers
participated in the Defensive Driving Training in December 2019 as they prepared for this important day here today.
The approach for continued capacity building took place today as 20 Enforcement Officers participated in a TwoHour Training Session at Motor Solutions Ltd in Belmopan on How to Manage the Patrol Motorcycles responsibly.
The Chief Executive Officer and Chair of the Belize Road Safety Operational Steering Committee along with the
Minister of Transport and NEM representative, Mr. Tirso Galvez, Chief Transport Officer, received the eighteen
patrol motorcycles from the supplier, Motor Solutions Limited of Belize, at approximately 9am today, July 30, 2020,
in the presence of The Mayors and Representatives of Mayors. Road Safety is everyone’s responsibility! Together
we can contribute to saving lives from road traffic crashes!