[Photo: File]
The National Road Safety Council will be re-established as Fiji records its highest number of road deaths in 15 years.
The issue was raised in Parliament by Opposition MP Vijay Nath, who questioned the Government on funding for the Council after 83 people died on Fiji’s roads last year.
Assistant Minister for Transport Naisa Tuinaceva said the legislation to bring back the Council was currently before the Solicitor-General’s Office and is expected to be completed soon.
He said the Council would be given a new structure and will operate separately from the Land Transport Authority.
“You cannot put it under together with the same Land Transport Authority because you are already a regulator and you are an enforcer and you cannot be a referee and a player at the same time. So you need somebody out there who will be watching and checking on the compliance party as far as road safety goes.”
Tuinaceva said the return of the Council would provide independent oversight to monitor road safety efforts and check compliance.
Meanwhile, Transport Minister Ro Filipe Tuisawau said road safety activities have continued, with $300,000 allocated in the LTA budget for enforcement, awareness campaigns, community outreach and road safety education.
The government adds that restoring the Council is part of efforts to strengthen response to the growing road safety concerns.
