As of Thursday July 11th, the San Pedro Traffic Department is now fully equipped with six handheld radios. The donation was made by the Area Representative and Minister of Tourism and Culture Hon. Manuel Heredia Jr. through the San Pedro Town Council (SPTC).
Heredia explained to The San Pedro Sun that he was approached by the SPTC with the request. “It is a contribution made to the San Pedro Town Council through my ministry so that they can enhance the services provided by the traffic department. I was informed that they wanted to improve their communication access, not only within the traffic department but also with the police. I will also be making a similar donation to the San Pedro Police Formation and this will enable a more efficient way of communicating between the two entities,” said Heredia. The radios are standard Motorola handheld rechargeable battery communication radios. Present during the short handing over ceremony was Chris Nuñez, Senior Traffic Supervisor for Ambergris Caye. Nuñez said that the traffic department is grateful for the donation. “We had only four hand radios and some of our traffic wardens were without a radio while on duty. With this donation, all of our traffic wardens will be fully equipped with handheld communication radios. In addition, through a special radio channel, we will be able to improve our communication with the police. These will help us share information not only within our department but with our local police,” said Nunez.
Each traffic officer will be given a radio and it will be connected to the San Pedro Traffic Department Radio base. For his part Claudio Azueta, Traffic Supervisor and Head Warden for San Pedro Town said it will make their work easier while on the streets. “It is a vital tool that helps us in our daily work. It will certainly enhance the communication between the various traffic wardens including myself. Sometimes when we are on patrol there are emergencies that we need to respond to. It becomes difficult at times to reach the traffic wardens especially when they do not have a radio. With the radios it will make it easier and much more reliable to get to our wardens.”
At hand to receive the donation was the Mayor of San Pedro Town Daniel Guerrero and Councilor Kenrick Brackett. Brackett who is responsible for the portfolio of traffic on Ambergris Caye said he is thankful to the minister for his kind contribution. “I want to say thanks to the Minister of Tourism and Culture. He has been very helpful in donating these radios. This is certainly not the first or the last time he is donating to the traffic department. He will be doing a few other things to enhance the traffic department and so, we at the SPTC, are happy for his assistance.”
The 12 radios – six radios donated to the SPTC Traffic Department and the six that will be handed to the San Pedro Police Department later this month – cost a total of $12,000. The San Pedro Traffic Department has six traffic wardens that are in charge to regulate and direct traffic on the entire island.