by Linda Straker
- Appointment is for 3 years, with effect from 6 February 2023
- Published in Government Gazette 24 February edition
- Commission shall advise Minister on all matters about road transport and traffic
Francis Paul is the new chairman of the reconstituted Transport Commission; the first was Lawrence Samuel.
The Transport Commission became a statutory body under the Ministry of Transportation in 2020. A Notice of Appointment from the Ministry of Infrastructure and Physical Development, Public Utilities, Civil Aviation, and Transportation, published in the 24 February edition of the Government Gazette, said that the Cabinet, at its meeting of 30 January 2023, approved the reconstitution of the Board of the Grenada Transport Commission in keeping with the provisions of the Road Traffic (Amendment) Act of 2020.
The appointment is for 3 years, with effect from 6 February 2023. The other members of the Transport Commission are Ken Lewis, Leanna Romain, ACP Randy Connaught, Permanent Secretary with responsibility for Transportation Sahai Gibbs, and Jasmin Redhead.
The Transport Commission received the necessary approval from both Houses of Parliament in 2020. In October of that year, Parliament approved an amendment to the road traffic legislation to establish the Commission, the legal replacement for what was formerly known as the Transport Board.
The members of the Commission, according to the legislation, shall advise the Minister on all matters about road transport and traffic, including matters about transport rates, fares, tolls, dues, or other charges.
The Commission, among other things, will be expected to advise the Ministry about licence duties and fees in respect of motor and other vehicles; the needs of any area or areas concerning traffic (including the provision of adequate, suitable, and efficient services and the elimination of unnecessary or unremunerative services) and the coordination of all forms of passenger and goods transport; road safety; the regulation and control of traffic; regulating road transport.
Other areas for which the member shall advise the Minister will include but not be limited to standards to be prescribed for vehicles to be used in public, commercial, and private transportation; regulation of public transport infrastructure, including car park facilities, terminal facilities, bus stops, and roundabout facilities; measures for controlling public, private and commercial transportation and establishing conditions under which they may operate and any other matter affecting traffic or transport that the Minister may refer to the Grenada Transport Commission.
According to the legislation, the members of the Board must be the Commissioner of Police or their designate; the Permanent Secretary with responsibility for Transport; one senior representative of the Ministry with responsibility for road infrastructure, with expertise in engineering; and one person with knowledge and experience in the management of transport and traffic policy; and 3 persons with knowledge and experience in other matters including insurance; and law.
Mr Paul need to take a slow drive around the island at the weekend to observe the amount of vehicles that are Non Roadworthy and are a hazard to everyday traffic.
Also the current Inspection need an urgent revamp in order to get on track with Road Safety because new vehicles are far too superior for this 19th century test we currently have on the island.
Please seek advice from the motor industry or mechanic about the best way forward because blowing horn and indicators are not enough to qualify as safe or road worthy.
So nice to hear we are increasing the Transport Commission which is great but I do hope they start looking at ways to cut down on traffic in our town centre and also to make better use of current batch of traffic wardens.
Let us take St George’s town centre where parking is more or less free …that should not happen as this should not be the case….the town centre should be Red Zone whereby NO parking is allowed from the port to the Stadium.
We have sufficient traffic wardens to cover and issue on the spot fines for anyone breaking the law which would help raise revenue and keep the town clear of traffic.