Latest update February 5th, 2025 11:03 AM
Bus operators resume as demands are met
After several barricades were removed, bus operators returned to the tarmac in front of the Stabroek Market yesterday.
With measures implemented by the authorities to provide among other things, adequate space to park and depart at the Stabroek bus park, route 41 and 46 operators returned to their normal schedule yesterday.
The mobile police outpost, which was centrally placed during the recent demolition exercise, has now been shifted further south on the tarmac, while portable sanitary facilities have also been put in place.
At the market, it was the opinion of some of the commuters that the strike cancellation might have been prompted by the 32-seater buses that provided free transportation, courtesy of the Works Ministry, on Wednesday night, for commuters who were stranded in the city as a result of strike action.
This scenario played out hours after the minibus operators met with Minister Robeson Benn in an attempt to iron out differences.
According to Minister Benn, the United Minibus Association had presented him with a letter advising that the route 41 and route 46 operators would withdraw their services for 48 hours and this prompted him to make the subsequent decision of providing free transportation during the indicated period.
Meanwhile, the minister in an interview with this newspaper yesterday, said that he was pleased that the strike action had been called off but he expressed disappointment in the manner in which the matter was dealt with.
“The association knows that my office can be contacted at any time to discuss any issue…I strongly condemn their action. They are being provided with an opportunity to have a business and a livelihood by virtue of the Government making it possible as an association, they have to relate to us if they have issues, we were not told that they were going on strike; they didn’t come to us, they know the process to raise fares.”
The Minister pointed out that at no time in the letter that was sent to him, did the Association indicate that they were interested in a fare increase.
“The fuel price is apparently a concern of theirs but that was not included in their letter. They were trying to leverage an increase in prices.”
Benn further confirmed that all of the Association’s requested demands were met and explained that the operators now have more space than they had before. He explained that the mobile outpost could not have been moved before because there was raw sewage at the location and work also had to be done on the pavement. He added that the old sanitary facilities had to be removed because of their deplorable condition.
The Minister also disclosed that he will be meeting with the Association to iron out other issues sometime next week.
The operators stated yesterday that there are still issues of concern, including a fare increase, since gas prices have gone up.
“Imagine I wuking hard all day pon dis bus hey, and when I done after 12 hours I got to carry home $2,000 and I got a family. Is wha really dem want we do hay?” one driver asked.
“It look like something bad gah fuh happen for dem to know all ah dese changes gah fuh happen now. A man get blow up and the city turn into madness. Dis is de leaders we got? Dey cyan even manage dem own house, dey wan manage a country,” one irate operator said emphatically.
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