Prime Minister and Minister of National Security, Dr the Right Honourable Keith Mitchell has encouraged traffic wardens to continue their good work and not to be deterred by any attempt to intimidate them.
Traffic wardens were recruited, trained and deployed earlier this year, to bolster the operations of the Traffic Department of the Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF).
Meeting with the 43 traffic wardens on Thursday, the Prime Minister said he is impressed with their work and he has also received positive feedback from members of the public. He urged the traffic wardens to understand that they have an important role to play in the overall stability and security of the country.
He said, “This is not just a job, you are carrying out an important function. The significance of your role is not simply limited to traffic, but it must be seen in the wider context of the stability and order of this country. As you provide support to the RGPF in dealing with traffic issues, police officers can then dedicate more time to dealing proactively with crime so that Grenada can protect its image as one of the countries with the least amount of crime.”
The Prime Minister and Minister for National Security told traffic wardens to have no fear in executing their duties. He said, “Some people will try to scare you, make you afraid of them but you ought not to be afraid of anything. Just do your work, do not allow persons to prevent you from doing what is right. If you see something wrong and you have to apply a measure of penalty, do it and fear no one because you have the full backing of the law behind you.”
The traffic warden programme was introduced in January this year and it will be refined over time to ensure optimum returns from the investment and providing options for upward mobility for the wardens.
Addressing concerns about job security, Dr Mitchell said, “Government will not be investing that amount of money for any short term activity. I do not see a time in the near future when your service will not be needed. I do not see a time when we would not need to enforce traffic discipline in the country, so your jobs are very secure.”
The Prime Minister encouraged the traffic wardens to continue conducting themselves professionally and to be ambassadors of the programme.
Thursday’s meeting was also attended by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Infrastructure Development, Public Utilities, Energy and Transport, Kim Fredrick; Acting Commissioner of Police, Edvin Martin; Assistant Commissioner of Police, Jessman Prince and Officer in Charge of the Traffic Department, Superintendent Randy Connaught.
Office of the Prime Minister
I am very impressed with the progress going on in Grenada.