Tribute to Barney Curtis

It is with sadness that we report on the passing of Barney Curtis, a long-standing veteran of the local and southern African transport industry. Curtis was the founder and previous executive director of the Federation of Eastern and Southern African Road Transport Association (Fesarta).

Mike Fitzmaurice, executive director of Fesarta, notes that tributes and condolences have been received from Dar es Salaam, Lusaka, Gaborone, Harare and Johannesburg – which bear witness to the breadth of his influence and the rich legacy of cooperation that he has left to the industry.

“The trucking industry owes him a debt of gratitude for his persistent and determined contributions to improving the standards of interstate transport in the region,” Fitzmaurice says.

“To his many friends and admirers in the world of transport Barney was a constant source of informed opinion on most aspects of regional trucking. His extensive personal business experience was reinforced by continual engagement with authorities, donors, truckers and cargo owners, all of whom have benefited from his vision and influence.

“His extended personal commitment, in terms of time and energy to the cause of regional transport, has left a rich legacy of standards and programmes for future improvement. The ultimate tribute that can be paid to Barney, will be an equal commitment to completing the work to which he devoted so much time and effort,” he adds.

FOCUS and Fesarta offer their sincere condolences to his wife Carol and the Curtis family at their time of grieving, and wish to express our gratitude for the massive contribution that Barney has made to our industry.