Minister, GPTA say to disregard reckless statement

May 31, 2009 News

Minister of Commerce, Manniram Prashad, and the Guyana Public Transportation Association, are calling on the general public to disregard the reckless statement by the President of the General Minibus Association of Guyana, Lylon Weithers.

According to Prashad, he has been in contact with Victor bell of the GPTA, who has said that there have been no consultations among the associations on any increase in minibus fares.

He said that to the contrary, there is even the idea of the further lowering of fares.

Speaking with this newspaper, Prashad said that president of the GMAG Lylon Weithers, is described as a loose cannon within his own circle and of acting unilaterally in his decision to issue such a reckless statement.

Some speculate that Weithers’s pronouncement may have been fuelled by a rumour that persons were gearing to import 36 big buses and were going to charge a lower fee.

The Minister, pointed out that there is a usual amicable relationship between the Commerce Ministry and the minibus associations. There usually are extensive consultations with the various associations and the Ministry before any increases are made.

Weithers had announced that minibus fares will be increased from June 15. He contended

that bus fares were reduced promptly when the fuel price went down previously, and that discussions on VAT exempted essential spare parts, were expected to be ongoing, but this was not the reality.

Weithers claimed that, “What is clear is that the administration was only interested in the bus fares being reduced.”

Fuel prices have begun to increase again and is currently close to $800 per gallon and “the voices in the administration are silent. Only when we announce increased bus fares then we know that these people are still alive.”

Weithers threatened to increase to where they were at the last fare increase, but the Ministry and the GPTA says to disregard that threat.

Last November, Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Manniram Prashad, along with the presidents and representatives from the General Minibus Association (GMA) and the Guyana Public Transportation Association (GPTA), struck a deal with the Ministry and reversed the minibus fares after it was increased as a result of the escalating fuel prices.

The agreement, was to reverse the fare structure since the price of fuel had dropped to $770, even reaching as low as $555.

The Administration and the minibus associations have long been at odds over minibus fares to the point that the Commerce Minister said that legislation to have the minibus operators and taxis regulated by the Public Utilities Commission would be a last resort.

There have been concerns expressed by senior Government officials in recent times, about the difficulty in having minibus and taxi operators adjust the fares in response to fuel price adjustments.

Fuel is the major expenditure for operators. When fuel prices came down from above $1,000 per gallon to $777 per gallon, operators were hesitant to reduce their fares.

After some lengthy discussion with the Ministry amid public outcry, some of the operators agreed to reduce their fares.

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Minister, GPTA say to disregard reckless statement

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