You probably don't know his name but if you are a driver in Belize City - you'll definitely know him by his face and his signature white gloves. We are talking about Frank Gilbert Foster Sr. He is a grade two enforcement officer with the Belize City Council's Traffic Department. Not a remarkable post, but foster has made his name doing it. City Hall has chosen foster as its employee of the year. We today met Foster doing what he does best - directing traffic and we found out what makes him so special.
Keith Swift Reporting,
Frank Foster Sr. directs traffic like he is conducting a symphony - a whirling dervish of regimented movements, improvised flair and individual style. Indeed he has turned street signaling into an art, traffic management into a performance. Foster brings zest, flamboyance and a creative spark to a job often seen as humdrum and unremarkable. But it isn't like that to Frank Foster.
Frank Foster,
"I got my own technique because I need to get the drivers' attention and so I try to adapt this kind of technique that I could keep the drivers focused. This glove is only used for drivers. Without the gloves sometimes they get distracted so I try to use the gloves to get their attention."
Keith Swift,
How hard is it to do what you do?
Frank Foster,
"It takes a little focus and that is what I stay on, I stay focus to capture the attention of the motorists."
In fact Foster does his job so well that he has won the weary attentions of those stuck in traffic. They are entertained and in a sense inspired by the vigor he brings to a job which is spent on hard pavement under an unrelenting sun. A couple of drivers we spoke to today says Foster gets their full attention.
Driver #1: That one is doing very good. He always does his job very good, that one...he is very organized. He presents himself very well and you can see he is a very disciplined person.
Driver #2: I think he is doing a good job...he makes his signal, he is very precise as to what he is doing. I think he is the best, as far as I am concerned.
Driver #3: He is alright, he is nice. I like him. He flows traffic the way it is supposed to flow.
Foster's bosses at the City Council have also been taking note. His rush hour performances have earned him employee of the year. But even with all that praise - Frank Foster just shrugs it off. He says he's just doing his job.
Frank Foster,
"I'm proud of myself because I know that I am a hard worker and I know that it is something that will be rewarding and I continue to do my best. I am fully motivated and I would continue to do my best and I hope that not only the City Council employees are bigging me up but the public will big me up too because I work hard."
Foster received five hundred dollars as a gift for his achievement. We should note that foster is a single parent, raising his four children on his own.
