The overseas consultant that assisted in the controversial reform of Bermuda’s public education system was awarded a six-week contract to advise the Government on road safety strategy, The Royal Gazette has learnt.

Keren Caple, of Third Story, formerly Innovation Unit Australia/New Zealand, which amassed rolling contracts for the education brief amounting to $8.4 million over five years, is said to have approached the Ministry of Tourism and Transport, Culture and Sport with a plan that could “complement the road safety initiatives being undertaken by Government”.

While some, including the Bermuda Union of Teachers and Ben Smith, shadow education minister, have branded aspects of education reform as a failure, Third Story supported the opening of three senior signature schools and worked with four parish primary schools which were, the company said, transformed into “vibrant hubs of learning for the whole community”.

The Government has justified the road safety contract saying that Third Story has experience “working with government organisations and advising on process and system enhancements”.

The contract has a value of $17,250 and covered a six-week period concluding today.

Several local entities including the Bermuda Police Service, the Ministry of National Security, the transport ministry and the Bermuda Road Safety Council were already working on a collaborative plan with the aim of halving road fatalities by 2030 following a higher-than-average number of road traffic fatalities this year.

Bermuda recorded its fifteenth road fatality of the year over the weekend, after a 30-year-old male died as a result of a three-vehicle crash that took place in the early hours of Saturday.

Owen Darrell, the Minister of Tourism, Transport, Culture and Sport, in March told Parliament that fatal crashes took place in Bermuda every 31 days, with a serious injury crash happening every 3½ days and a slight injury crash happening every 15 hours.

The Government insisted Third Story’s role will be complementary to the existing structure which is building around five key pillars: intelligence and data, enforcement, engineering, education and behaviour change, as well as governance and accountability.

The council has also been working on a five-year “evidence-based” road safety plan called “Operation Action: Changing Minds, Changing Behaviours”.

A spokeswoman for the transport ministry told The Royal Gazette: “The ministry can confirm that the company Third Story has been contracted to support a short-term road safety project.

“However, it is important to clarify that the engagement was not awarded by the minister, as ministers do not hire contractors or award contracts.

“The proposal focused on making recommendations on how existing activities could be brought together into a broader, more coordinated programme of reform.

“The ministry considered the approach worthy of further consideration in light of the Government’s commitment to enhancing road safety and improving outcomes for the people of Bermuda.”

The ministry spokeswoman said the engagement was considered in the context of the specific needs including the opportunity to facilitate stakeholder co-ordination, strengthen alignment across existing initiatives and support the development of a more integrated approach to road safety reform.

“The engagement is focused on bringing together existing road safety initiatives into a co-ordinated programme of reform that complements current policy, legislative, enforcement, education and public awareness activities already under way across Government and partner agencies,” the spokeswoman said.

“The work is focused on programme coordination and strategic alignment rather than providing technical expertise in road traffic collision investigation or enforcement.

“The project is intended to support and strengthen the efforts of those agencies by bringing together work already taking place across government and community partners.

“It does not replace the responsibilities of the Transport Control Department [under the transport ministry], the Bermuda Road Safety Council, the Bermuda Police Service or the Ministry of National Security.”

She said road safety remained a shared responsibility across a number of agencies which will all continue to play “critical roles in policy development, enforcement, education and public awareness”.

The Government said the deliverables of the contract included engagement with key stakeholders involved in road safety initiatives, a review and mapping of existing road safety activities and programmes and identification of opportunities to strengthen coordination and alignment across agencies.

This would result in recommendations on a framework to support a more integrated and sustainable road safety reform programme, the Government added.

“The ministry's focus is on ensuring that existing efforts are as effective and coordinated as possible in addressing the serious issue of road fatalities and road safety outcomes in Bermuda,” the ministry spokeswoman said.

The Government had made no public announcement of Third Story’s involvement in road safety.

The spokeswoman explained: “As the project is currently under way and focused on stakeholder engagement and programme development, no public announcement has been issued to date.

“The ministry will consider appropriate public communications once the work has been completed and recommendations have been received.

“Regarding broader commentary about previous engagements involving Third Story in other sectors, the ministry's decision in this instance was based on the specific requirements of this project and the experience Third Story brings in working with government organisations and advising on process and system enhancements.

“The ministry remains focused on identifying practical measures that can assist in reducing road fatalities and improving road safety outcomes for the people of Bermuda.”

Ms Caple did not respond to questions by press time.

While the firm’s last contract with education ended in December 2025, the Third Story website suggests that the firm plans to have a “more permanent” presence in Bermuda and the Caribbean.

It said: “Since 2020 we have been supporting the Bermudian government’s ambitious, large-scale reform of its public education system in partnership with communities, and collaborating with the British Virgin Islands on their own education system change priorities.

“With a commitment to local allyship and addressing persistent inequities through our work, we are exploring a more permanent presence in the region.”

The Government said of the education consultancy work, on completion of the contract: “The Government now has the data, models and lessons needed to move forward independently.

“This is Bermudian ownership of the next phase.”