GPTA accuses Government of deception

Jul 13, 2008 News

– new fare structure will remain

By Fareeza Haniff & Rustom Seegopaul

President of the Guyana Public Transportation Association (GPTA), Nicholas Nnami, yesterday accused the Government of deception. He was referring to an intervention to reduce the burden of the increased fares on commuters of minibuses.

Nnami, responding to a statement from the Ministry of Finance which advised the public not to pay any increase in minibus fares, said: “It is very strange for the Minister of Finance to make public statements concerning the minibus fare without making contact with the GPTA or the General Minibus Association of Guyana (GMAG).”

He added that the new fare structure would still be charged, despite any statements made by the ministry or the Government.

While the ministry has explained that it recognises the increased and ever-increasing price of fuel, it stressed the point that measures have been implemented to ease the burden on domestic consumers.

Efforts to contact the Minister of Finance for a comment on the issue proved futile.

Meanwhile, Lylon Weithers, President of GMAG, said that the ministry did not have the authority to dictate or decide the minibus fare. “As far as we (GMAG and GPTA) are concerned, all negotiations in terms of fare have been closed,” said Weithers.

He said that the decision to increase the fare has already been made, and as such the GMAG is, “not losing sleep over them (the Government).”

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