IRF 3-Day Congress closes with the Importance of Leadership
IRF 3-Day Congress closes with the Importance of Leadership
― Leadership is needed to propel infrastructural development
―Research initiatives should inform road sector agenda
DPI, Guyana, Saturday, May 11, 2019
On the afternoon of May 10, in the hall of the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, panellists at the Eighth (8TH) International Road Federation (IRF) Caribbean Regional Congress (CRC), centred their discussion on the topic ‘Road Sector Leadership”.
The discussion was moderated by Sharissa Barrow and the panel comprised Rawlston Adams, Nicholas Worrell, William Ashby, Joel Trotman, Stuart Hughes and Kadri Parris. There were four (4) key areas of leadership in the road sector that were identified by the panellists – urban planning, transport services, road and transport designs and safety.
The panellists contended that leadership is the transformational power needed to drive infrastructural development. Civil engineer, Joel Trotman related that he views leadership as team oriented and feels that the vision which inspires the leadership should receive input from the stakeholders involved. He noted that Guyana is in a transformational process and needs transformational leadership with clearly articulated policies.
Civil Engineers, William Ashby and Kadri Parris, both agreed that there is a need for collaboration between university research initiatives and the products created by the road sector leadership in order to provide citizens with a “better product”.
According to the panellists, more inclusive measures need to be taken to address the lack of diversity within the sector. Additionally, they felt that leaders in the sector need to become more aware of the resources at their disposal and maximize the usage of the resources through proper planning and networking with other countries in the region and international organisations, such as the International Road Federation (IRF).
In urban areas, the panellists noted that there is a need to expand and improve the technology used in the provision of services. Rawlston Adams, General Manager of the Demerara Harbour Bridge Cooperation (DHBC), noted that DHBC has recently completed its first phase of testing the automated toll collection system. He remarked that it is the first time that Guyana will be using such a system which was developed by local Information Technology (IT) technicians.
On safety, Rawlston Adams – Coordinator of Safety Advocacy at the National Transportation Safety Board, USA – said that the business of transportation is the business of safety. He added that “safety must be at the core of everything that we do in the sector…once it becomes the core, it helps guide decision making.” He mentioned that it is not how quickly those structures are erected but how safely they are constructed.
In closing, the panellists mentioned that political buy-in is important if a long-term development plan for Guyana is to be successful and if Guyana is to properly benefit from the fruits of its impending oil wealth.
The panel discussion served as the wrap-up session for the three-day IRF Caribbean Regional Congress which theme states – ‘Modernising the Region’s Roads for Future Generations’.
Onika Bobb
Images: Onika Bobb