English - Producers` Commitments to Reduce Harmful Drinking

DRINK
DRIVE
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
MARCH - JUNE 2016
The World Health Organization (WHO) identified the Dominican Republic as the country with the highest level
of road fatalities in the Americas, and the 15th highest level worldwide. These dramatic statistics were a
key factor for IARD in selecting the Dominican Republic as a priority country for the drink-driving prevaention
program starting in 2015.
Participation in the
CODIA event
From March 29th to April 1st 2016, the DR-IARD
team participated, in Santo Domingo, Dominican
Republic, in a three (3) day event “International
Congress of Transit and Transportation) organized
by the CODIA (Colegio Dominicano de Ingenieros,
Arquitectos y Agrimensores). This 3 day seminar
was a thorough and detailed event with a specific
focus on the topic of road safety and traffic
accidents in the Dominican Republic. During the
congress by 17 international experts and many local
governmental and traffic authorities discussed key
elements of a road-safety strategy to prevent and
reduce traffic accidents. IARD was invited as part
of the group speakers, and Dr. Alberto Bouroncle
had an important participation in the event. Diageo,
represented by Carolyn Panzer and Mexican roadtraffic expert, Ottón Sanchéz, also participated as
a main speakers. Our key message was to explain,
in general terms, the action plan designed for the
DR, and provide some data to raise awareness of
the magnitude of the problem. The program will
consist on a low- and a high-intensity awareness
and education campaign, preceding the approval of
the new transit law that establish clear BAC limits
for drivers. The program will also focus on law
enforcement training in the conduction of sobriety
check points and the use of the breathalyzers. This
topic was of great interest in the seminar, since
drunk-driving is a real danger in the Dominican
streets and the cause of deaths and disabilities.
Signing of a
Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU),
with the Ministry
of Health of the
Dominican Republic
On May 3rd 2016, the DR-IARD team organized the
signing of a MoU with the Ministry of Health of the
Dominican Republic, this was in historical event
that seals the collaboration between the beveragealcohol industry and the organism in charge of
protecting the life and health of all Dominicans.
Representatives from both the private and public
sectors were present at the signing. Also present
were representatives from civil society, Government,
law enforcement, and members of the local alcohol
cluster, along with an important presence of the
local press.
This MoU was signed by the Minister of Health, Dra.
Altagracia Guzman Marcelino, sitting at the center
of the table, which publicly applauded the initiative
and supported the work to be done. This step also
formalizes the action plan designed to put together
a case study in two main Dominican hospitals that
are best known for trauma cases and traffic accident
casualties. This work will also be crucial for our
program and will be initiated in the next month.
Follow up work with the
new Transit and Road
Safety Law
party has been reelected, Mr. Crespo is expected to
continue in office, and this represents good news for
our program, and the passing of the transit law. The
DR-IARD counts on this law as the platform for all
our initiatives and action plan.
The team has been giving a close follow up to
the passing of the new Transit Law, which covers
important modifications on the topic of drink driving
in the Dominican Republic. This issue was very
vaguely included in the past one, and this constituted
a point of concern. Congressman Tobias Crespo,
the main figure behind this effort, has been a close
collaborator of the DR-IARD team, and continues to
be in close communication with IARD in terms of
the passing of the law, which is finally moving into
Congress for approval. Now that the government
Identifying additional
stakeholders and
formalizing the
collaboration
The DR-IARD team has identified and selected a
group of local stakeholders, previously mapped
as potential allies. These stakeholders include
authorities or law enforcement, the private sector,
media and communications, Civil Society, and
NGOs. In this initial phase, stakeholders from
each group were selected and contacted. The
response from the groups visited was excellent, and
following that first approach we are in the process
of drafting and signing collaborative agreements
with each of them, as proof of interest and broad
intent of collaboration and participation in the
program. Collaboration may come in the form of
donations, promotions, logistics, or including the
IARD awareness in their distribution network or
campaigns.
Full page publication in
main local newspaper
The team was invited to an interview for a full page
article that was published two (2) weeks ago, in
the newspaper LISTIN DIARIO, the main and oldest
newspaper in the DR. Dr. Alberto Bouroncle gave a
thorough and extensive interview on the work of the
IARD and the plans that we have for the DR in the
near future. Many good and interesting questions
were answered, as the interview ranged from the
interest of the beverage-alcohol industry to address
Radio interview
coverage
The team was also interviewed in one of the main
local radio shows in Santo Domingo, “El Matutino de
Teo Veras”. This is one of the best well-known radio
shows in the DR that is transmitted every morning
country wide. Dr. Alberto Bouroncle from IARD and
Mr. Alejandro Manuel Flores from Pernod Ricard
were interviewed and were on the air for several
minutes.
alcohol-related harm, to the nature of the awareness
campaigns, the work done in other countries, and the
activities planned for the DR.
LINKS TO THE DIGITAL ARTICLE:
http://bit.ly/DRN616art
http://bit.ly/DRN616arteng
WEB PAGE OF THE PROGRAM:
http://bit.ly/DRN616prog
LINK TO THE RECORDING:
http://bit.ly/DRN616rec
Measuring the effects
of the Program
The DR-IARD team selected a local research
firm Quadrante-FLACSO, to develop a pre- and
post-intervention survey to be able to measure
the changes in knowledge, attitudes, beliefs
and practices of Dominican drivers as a result
of the intervention. Other key elements to look
into this study are the consumer characteristics,
consumption patterns, local traditions towards
alcohol, etc. This will give us enough information
for drafting appropriated messages for the media
campaigns, identifying at-risk groups.
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