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Minibus owners/operators must either conform or find another way to make their living

Aug 19, 2011 Letters

 
Dear Editor,
I just read that government ministers will be meeting with minibus operators. It made me sick to the stomach. Just what will these meetings achieve? When it comes to this type of management, the PPP government is woefully impotent. Government needs to understand that the travelling public has a right to reliable and fair public transport service. This right derives from the fact that most commuters pay taxes which go toward the infrastructure which minibus operators use to make their living. Do minibus owners/operators pay taxes? If so, how much? Minibuses are duty-free. Duty-free concessions should instead be given to all public servants who have at least five years service in this country. Further, workers who drive to work should be allowed to carry paying passengers during the peak hours. This helps with the gas bill and will also contribute to easing the transportation woes. Of course, it will also send a message to the minibus folks – pull your socks up or else.
Placing public transport in the hands of unscrupulous and semi-literate minibus owners/operators requires that the system be buttressed by hard-and-fast enforcement of stringent regulations.
Significant fines (minimum $50, 000.00 per offence) along with suspension of road licenses should be imposed on minibus operators who discriminate against members of the travelling public or charge excessive fares. There should be designated bus stops along each route. Commuters who try to stop a bus at other points should also be charged. This will require more policemen on the road. The fines or bribes will go a far way to provide for these additional ranks.
The government should seriously consider reintroducing state-owned public transport service to deal with the current problems. These are just some of the things that can be done. Time does not permit me to go into more options or more details about what I have proposed here.
Most of the senior functionaries in this government are square pegs in round holes and are unable to perform. It is no wonder that lawlessness and chaos dominate the Guyanese way of life. Those holding high office and being paid fat salaries and allowances and who go about begging for votes should do the thinking. The bottom line is that minibus owners/operators must either conform to the regulations or find another way to make their living. The travelling public does not owe them a living. The government owes it to the taxpayers to provide a reliable and fair public transport service.
P. Pritpaul.

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