Rosignol minibuses stage second day fuel price protests

Jun 06, 2018 News

Route 50 buses and drivers lined the roadways at Experiment Village, WCB

Minibus operators (Route 50) plying the Rosignol to Georgetown route yesterday staged their second day of strike and protest to increase the fares for commuters to pay amidst the spike in fuel prices worldwide.
The minibus drivers lined the Experiment Public Road chanting slogans and brandishing a few placards with heavy police presence trying to maintain order. Mark Graham, a minibus driver explained that himself along with over 30 bus operators took to the public road at approximately 6:30 am yesterday,
“We are out here protesting because the gas price is affecting we and we are trying to do it very peacefully to get an increase in the fare”.
Graham also stated that in the same vain they are trying to have the Route 50 Minibus Association registered.
“We do not have a 50 minibus association so we are trying to form it because we already have things in place where we sent documents to the Minister of Infrastructure and one to the Traffic Chief of ‘B’ and ‘A’ Divisions”, he said.
He further added that they have not been getting the support from all the bus operators as they were expecting. “This is only quarter of the population of buses out here but we have to make an impact so that is why we are here in our numbers. Something has to happen because we can’t work with this, it is not feasible”.
Graham further explained that on a day-to-day basis, approximately $3000 in gas is used up en route to Georgetown. “Now is $5000 we taking to Georgetown on one-off trip so when you complete a trip, its actually $10,000 gas you burning.” This, he said, is a strain financially.
Another bus driver who said he has two children to take care of and send to school told this publication that it is hard on him already and with the added increase in fuel, it is proving to be more difficult, “the money wha we earning is not affordable”.
Rohit Kanhai who was very vocal in the protest, clearly stated that he wants the bus fares to be raised.
“This is too much on we; we got to buy tire, we got to maintain bus, we got installment to pay and we get family to maintain, so we want the government to do something,” he stressed.
Meanwhile, Region Five Chairman, Vickchand Ramphal, while engaging the media stated that the region stands in solidarity with the bus operators. He lamented that with the increases comes added burden on the region and its people.
“Nurses, teachers, school children and everyone will be affected so it is my hope that the government finds a way to reduce the price of fuel by using the formula that was used previously to buffer the increase so our people can continue with their business as normal”.
Fuel prices have increased between $10 and $15 per litre over the past two weeks. This development has sparked several protests by bus operators throughout the country for a raise in bus fares.

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