The Government of Belize's Ministry of Works and Transport has received much needed support for its traffic law enforcement efforts through the receipt of two new highway patrol vehicles from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development procured through the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) funded Road Safety Project. The Government of Belize has received USD7.2 million in loan financing from the CDB towards the cost of the Belize Road Safety Project and is contributing a further USD1.6 million. The vehicles were officially handed over to the Honourable Rene Montero, Minister of Works and Transport on Friday, June 28, 2013. The patrol vehicles will be fully equipped with hand held Speed Radar Guns and portable alcohol testing equipment, in addition to emergency and incident management equipment, such as traffic cones, reflective triangles, high- visibility jackets, and base and handheld radios. According to data from the Ministry of Health on Road Safety, Belize recorded a high number of road deaths in 2012, equivalent to approximately 19 traffic deaths per 100,000 inhabitants. Belize maintains the highest fatality rate record amongst the CDB member countries. Mr. Glen McCarvell, Operations Officer, Economic Infrastructure Division, CDB, noted, "The Road Safety Project is the first phase of what is expected to be a long-term initiative by the Government of Belize to improve road safety. The Project focuses on five objectives: improving the safety of road infrastructure; improving road user awareness of safety; improving driver behaviour and adherence to traffic laws; improving post-crash care; and improving the capacity to manage road safety. The vehicles will support the improvement of traffic law enforcement along the George Price Highway Demonstration Corridor and in the municipalities of Belize City and Belmopan." To support the Project, a training programme will also be conducted in traffic law enforcement for the 35 enforcement officers in the Department of Transport, the Police Department, and the municipalities. The official launch of the Belize Road Safety Project took place on March 14, 2013 at the George Price Centre for Peace and Development, City of Belmopan, Belize. CAPTION: The Hon. Rene Montero, Minister of Works and Transport (left) and the Hon. Edmond George Castro, Minister of State in the Ministry of Works and Transport (with special emphasis on Transport) with the new highway patrol vehicles. Photo credit: Government of Belize Press Office