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Don’t pay the $20 fare increase
– Govt. tells West Dem passengers
Government on Thursday called on commuters to disregard the demands of minibuses and hire cars operators on the West Bank of Demerara for a $20 fare hike.
Minibus and hire car operators earlier this week, during the announcement that they will increase fares by $20.
According to the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, it remains deeply concerned about the “uncaring” and “contradictory” action being displayed by some minibus operators, “who seem determined to unilaterally adjust their fares upwards and hold the travelling public to ransom, as a means of bullying an acceptance of their callousness.”
On Wednesday, the West Bank operators gathered at Patentia and announced intentions to implement the $20 hike, effective Thursday. They cited the high costs of fuel and spares.
The operators also made it clear that while they would like the Ministry’s approval for the $20 hike, the reality is that there is no clear authority on who sets fares.
“We can’t wait anymore; it has been 10 years since fares were raised for us. It is just $20 more.”
The Ministry on Thursday, however, said that instituting any fare increase without the conclusion of joint operators (bargaining body, and the Ministry) agreement is unacceptable, and breaches the good faith principle that should permeate discussions currently ongoing among the parties.
As a consequence, the Ministry said it is “categorically rejecting recent attempts of minibus operators to one-sidedly impose fare increases and calls upon commuters to disregard this unconscionable action.”
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