A total of 18 minibus drivers across the country were on Wednesday recognised for displaying the utmost professionalism in plying their trade.
The drivers were awarded through the “Best Minibus Driver” competition which was launched Ministry of Home Affairs in collaboration with the National Road Safety Council in observance of National Road Week 2020.
Over 100 drivers from all ten administrative regions in the country would have participated.
During the awards ceremony held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, Coordinator of the Road Safety Council Ramona Doorgen explained that the initiative is ultimately aimed at revamping the minibus culture in Guyana.
She noted that the competition will continue next year and will eventually be expanded to provide an incentive to minibus operators to be better road users.
Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn expressed similar sentiments, noting that “errant minibus operators define the culture on the road, and so, we thought that we had to identity those minibus operators and drivers who are a great example for what proper road usage should be.”
He said the drivers who have been awarded are considered “champions of proper road usage” and that they now have a responsibility to set an example for others.
Among those awarded as the ‘best minibus drivers’ are Dexter King from Region One, Ricardo Chester from Region Two, Inderjeet Latchman from Region Three, Daniel Ramcharran from Region Four, John Karpen from Region Five, Kuldip Paray from Region Six, Keith Blair from Region Seven, Ian Gonsalves from Region Eight, Thomas Hamilton from Region Nine, and Leslie Jarvis from Region Ten.
For minibus drivers to be awarded “Best Driver” or place second in the various divisions, they were required to be compliant with the following rules and regulations of the competition. Drivers were required to: be in compliance with the Motor Vehicle and Traffic Act Chapter 51:02; have years of certification as a driver; be an accident free driver; have a Valid Driver’s License, and observe the 5Cs of driving.
Each ‘Best Driver’ received a new set of tyres, and a ‘Best Driver’ logo engraved on their buses while the second-place winners received 15 gallons of gas.
