Let the big buses roll

Jul 18, 2008 Features / Columnists

The Parrot is once again forced to squawk on this minibus fiasco. Recently in a news item on the Main City News, the President made some remarks that can be deemed disparaging and disrespectful.
No, not Uncle Bharrat; the President of the Mini-bus Association, Mr. Nylon Weathers. The man proper “buse” up the government about the now controversial increase in fares. He spared no “bones” in his condemnation of government’s reaction to the hikes.
He vehemently articulated that “…the government is behaving as if they own the minibuses on the road and as if they have any control of the fare increases, (sic) the fare increases are a done deal”. Defiant I must say.
The Parrot has interpreted this to mean that the government should not be concerned with the hikes and by extension should not worry about the additional burden being placed on hapless commuters. Uncaring? Definitely.
Now, here is the contradiction. Uncle Bob and his band wagon-jumpers have agitated that government implement measures to reduce the impact of the rising food and fuel prices. They are clamouring for a reduction of VAT amongst other measures.
This agitation is ongoing despite the many interventions by government including the removal of consumption tax on fuel, a stipend for public servants who earn less than fifty thousand per month, across the board increase in salary for public servants and subsidy on bread.
Obviously Uncle Bob and his team see the need for government to be concerned about the welfare of our people, especially those who are described as the “vulnerable group”. One has to wonder, given his remarks, whether Mr. Weathers has this concern foremost on his mind. The welfare of the operators is definitely his focus. Given the “terms of reference” of the “office” he holds, this is expected and basically acceptable. However, it’s not a “passport” to be unreasonable.

At the end of the day, his “people” depend on the commuters for their livelihood who in turn expect government to be concerned about their welfare.
I recall seeing Mr. Weathers and his “people” aggressively clamouring for government to implement measures to cushion them for the impact of high food and fuel prices.
They had many meetings to explore what level of consensus could have been reached to prevent an increase in fares. Just like Uncle Bob, Mr. Weathers sees the need for government’s right to intervene to protect the welfare of its citizens. As a reminder, it should be noted that government has no control over the price of fuel and what measures would have been implemented.
Having been fully aware of government’s role, how then can Mr. Weathers imply that it should not be concerned about the fare increases and its impact on the commuters? Is Mr. Weathers aware that with the introduction of VAT some amenities for vehicles which attracted a consumption tax of 30% are now attracting 16%; a reduction of 14%?
Maybe what government should do to protect the commuters from the unreasonable position of the Association and the dangers they are exposed to in travelling with them, is to fast track the re-introduction of a government bus service.

I wonder when this becomes a reality, whether Mr. Weathers will be making the same remarks to the Big City News cast. Maybe he would say then that government is unfair.
Squawk! Squawk!

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Let the big buses roll

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