Why this unfair fare structure?

Sep 02, 2019 Letters

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DEAR EDITOR,

The much needed and touted fare structure for the Mini Buses and Hire Car to have in their possession and to be displayed has been agreed by and between the Ministry of Business and the association and it must be noted this was only after several letters were written to the Editors of the major daily newspapers and published in the Letter Columns by yours truly, that the Police started to impound the Mini Buses both at Suddie and Anna Regina Police Station, then and only then did the Association got going.
It cannot escape one’s attention that while all the other Administrative Regions the route is being identified by a number, the Essequibo Coast was the last to comply with this essential part of the Code of Conduct that was agreed by the Subject ministry and the umbrella union, the certified Mini Bus Union.
And I rather suspect that the Essequibo Mini Bus and Hire Car Association was not functioning, and that displaying any new fare structure would not be in the best interest of the owners and drivers of these car and buses.
How on earth can any functioning person, explain why after more than seven months after the Code of Conduct was agreed by the Ministry and the United Mini Bus Union, that only now Region # 2, through their Association some of the drivers, have the Fare Structure that can be said is their interest and that of the travelling public.
The Kaieteur News of Saturday July, 20, 2019 on page 13, under the caption “Business Ministry to phase out 18 year old Essequibo Fare Structure”, a photograph of some parked Mini Buses was seen.
Paragraph two state and I quote “The Association met with the Minister of Business Hemrajh Rajkumar and the Department of Consumer Affairs yesterday as preparation for the new fare structure commenced.” Paragraph eight mention and I again quote “the Minister pointed out that within this time, the Department of Consumer Affairs will complete all consultation with the public.”
On reading this story I was eagerly awaiting the announcement of when and where these consultations would have taken place, I am still waiting, but I stand to be corrected here.
I would be more than grateful if the association can come up with a copy of the eighteen year old fare structure that is being phased out, so that a comparison can be made as the justification of the increase shown in this new fare structure.
It is public knowledge that for decades the cost of transportation is way above that of other regions, and it was accepted because of the condition of the road, it is public knowledge that the roads on the Essequibo Coast were the last to be upgraded from loam to asphalt, so it must be noted that commuters in this region all along were paying far more than other regions and in many cased double the fare when one take into consideration the miles the passenger travels, and that is why some of the areas as per the new fare structure shows a decrease.
I travel the routes in Regions Three, Four, Five, Six and Seven.
The new fare structure that was agreed by the three parties namely the Ministry of Business, the Essequibo Mini Bus and Hire car Association and the United Mini Bus Union, indicates that the fare from Supenaam to Suddie and the villages immediate before and after is now Three Hundred Dollars ($300.00), a distance of not more than eleven (11) miles. This kind of increase is unprecedented and must be revised.
And I will also ask the signatories to the agreed new fare structure to identify any route or any region apart from the interior regions where commuters are demanded to pay Three Hundred Dollars ($300.00) for a distance of less than eleven (11) miles.
From Aurora and villages about one mile before and after, what use to be $140.00 and in some cases $160.00 is now $200.00. I think this new structure is because of the speed boat passengers, and persons that use the steamer Parika/Adventure, but it is unfair.
It must also be noted that the Suddie Public Hospital, the Suddie Magistrate Court, the Essequibo Assizes is at Suddie, the Land registry is housed in the High Court Building, the Pre and Post Natal Clinic is at Suddie, there are two Private Laboratories at Suddie, the oldest and well stocked drug store and Neighbourhood Democratic Council (N.D.C.) Market is at Suddie and last but certainly not least the only Funeral Parlour is also at Suddie.
Apparently the authorities of this new fare structure did not see it fitting to consider the negative impact that decision would have on the people living and would have to visit the aforementioned building and institutions.
Something is confusing here, if we are phasing out an eighteen year old fare structure, it would certainly mean that for eighteen years persons travelling from South Essequibo to Suddie were paying $260.00, then this injustice was unleased on us all the time. The question is, why?

Archis W. Cordis

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