Eleven public high school students received successfully completed the inaugural Safe Driving Simulator Program. Pictured (in the front row from left to right) are: Mary Cooper, Director of Education (MOE); Hon. Neko Grant, MP, Minister of Public Works and Transport; Ginger Moxey, Vice President – GBPA; and Pietro Stefanutti, President, PharmaChem Technologies (GB) Ltd; flanked by the graduates.
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Freeport, Bahamas
– The inaugural Safe Driving Simulator
Program on Grand Bahama reached a successful
milestone on Thursday with the graduation of eleven initial participants.
The re-launched program is a joint initiative of The Grand Bahama Port
Authority, Limited, (GBPA) and PharmaChem Technologies (GB) Ltd, in cooperation
with the Road Traffic Department and the Ministry of Education.
Since the Fall of last year,
students from Eight Mile Rock Senior High School, Jack Hayward High School and
St. George’s High School were instructed in the fundamentals of road
safety using two high-tech, modern driving simulators. After successfully
completing the simulated lessons, driving instructor, Allison Knowles of
Elshadai’s Learn to Drive, conducted practical, on-the-road training with
each student. By Thursday’s ceremony, five students had
successfully obtained their official driving licences.
GBPA generously covered
expenses for all of the students for their practical driving tutelage, final
driving exam and first-time drivers’ licence. “In addition to
collaborating with the various partners, GBPA sought to assist in a tangible
way by covering these expenses that might otherwise serve as an impediment to
some in obtaining their licences,” explained Geneva
Rutherford, Director of Community Relations – GBPA.
“I would like to remind
you that along with a driver’s licence come much responsibility,”
cautioned Minister Grant. “It is my hope that as graduates of this
course and as future motor vehicle drivers, you will always remember to apply
the lessons learnt in your travel on our streets and highways.”
Photo: Derek Carroll
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The graduates included:
Valedictorian, Kenton Smith, Jack Hayward High School; Salutatorian, Bianca
Williams, Eight Mile Rock High School; Antonio Russell, St. George’s High
School; Terez Tomlinson, Jack Hayward High School; Ricardo Butterfield, Eight
Mile Rock High School; Timmesha Forbes, St. George’s High School; Vincent
Charlton, Eight Mile Rock High School; Chryshawnda Adams, Jack Hayward High
School; Lejend Williams, St. George’s High School; Genae Forbes, St.
Georges High School; and Charles Rose, Jack Hayward High School.
With the outstanding
achievement of the pilot group, the safe driving simulator program now opens up
to the island’s private schools with classes commencing on Friday March
12 for the first group of private school students.
In addition, plans are well
underway to officially establish the simulator course into the high school
curriculum. “The Ministry of Education (MOE) is diligently
discussing introducing a driver’s education course under ‘Family
Life and Health’. Along with practical training on the driving
simulators, the program would cover additional courses such as Basic Vehicle
Knowledge, Vehicle Management, Maintenance, Purchasing, Insurance, etc,”
revealed Herbert Marshall, Senior Education Officer, MOE.
The permanent establishment of
the simulator driving program is a personal wish of PharmaChem Technologies,
President, Pietro Stefanutti. In addressing the graduates, Stefanutti
related how the simulators became a reality due to the tragic death of his son
Erick in a vehicular accident.
Looking to the future,
Stefanutti expressed, “As the program now moves into another phase, I am
optimistic that it will continue to grow to move beyond the high school
curriculum to include the general motoring public and even industrial
drivers. Also, I look forward to the day when it moves beyond Grand
Bahama to become an established requirement for the motoring public in the
entire Bahamas.”
JHHS Valedictorian Kenton Smith stands center. Photo: Derek Carroll
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