For the past four years, between 7am and 9am on weekdays, Sikeli Toroca, 66, has been a regular at the neighbour traffic light.
Playing the good citizen, he stands with his homemade road signs, in an effort to control traffic.
Out of compassion and goodwill, Mr Toroca iassists students of Vishnu Deo Primary School to safely cross Grantham Road in Raiwaqa.
“No one asked me to do this,” he said.
“I decided to do this myself because I used to see students cross, sometimes under no supervision.
“So when I started doing this, I would stand with the teachers and guide the students safely across the road.
“When I know the teachers are busy, I take over from them and tell them to return to their classrooms because I know it’s important for them to prepare for the day.”
Mr Toroca’s concerns come from the fact that he doesn’t want to see any student get involved in a road accident.
“I think of their parents who would be at home or work, hoping their children are safe on our roads.”
“The thought of this made me come out on the road to help our children.
“I see myself as a community volunteer, someone who is always willing to help out whenever and wherever there is a need.”
Mr Toroca said his campaign has also allowed him to meet with police officers at the Raiwaqa Police Station.
“I met with them, and teachers of the school and assured them saying I was willing to do this for the sake of our children’s safety.
“They’ve thanked me for my contribution, and I told them I would always assist them.
“As citizens, I believe we need to play our roles and help in keeping our communities safe.”
The retired Public Works Department employee, who worked as a safety officer said people usually took things for granted.
“When I worked in PWD as a supervisor, I used to implement quality control concepts, so you identify your situation, the hazards, before action.
“And the problem here is that some drivers don’t think of children’s safety and drive past without any consideration.
“So, after seeing this, I chose to help out. It’s very important that we prioritise safety issues because if we don’t, serious accidents could happen.
“In my duties as a safety officer, I used to ensure that everyone adhered to OHS rules for their own sake.
“I continue to live that lifestyle today and that is why I have volunteered to help students every morning safely across our roads.”
Mr Toroca is also a familiar face in Parliament where he follows Parliament sessions.
Asked what he found interesting about the Parliament meeting, he said: “I have been enquiring about my compensation from PWD and so I come here to try and talk to Government ministers about it.”
“No matter what life throws my way, I will continue to help out in communities because no man is an island.”
