AFC calls for fuel subsidy for minibus operators

May 21, 2026 News

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…as fare hike row triggers protest action

(Kaieteur News) – Amid Wednesday’s minibus strike in Georgetown over government enforcement against fare increases, Alliance For Change (AFC) leader and former Public Infrastructure Minister, David Patterson, has argued that the government can easily afford to cushion operators struggling under rising fuel and operating costs.

In a statement issued Wednesday, Patterson said the administration’s refusal to introduce targeted relief measures for minibus operators is indefensible given Guyana’s massive daily oil revenues.

“At today’s oil price, Guyana is earning roughly US 3.1 billion every single day, with national production at 916,000 barrels per day,” Patterson stated.

He pointed out that Guyana has an estimated 2,500 minibuses operating nationwide and proposed a monthly fuel-support voucher of G 62.5 million monthly, or around G$2 million daily.

“That means this entire subsidy amounts to only about 0.6% of our monthly oil revenue,” he argued.

The comments come as tensions continue to grow between the government and minibus operators following increased enforcement against unauthorised fare hikes. Operators have defended the increases, citing soaring fuel prices, escalating costs for vehicle parts and maintenance, and worsening living expenses.

The government of Guyana on Monday declared that no increases in fares have been approved for any mode of public transport, including minibuses, hire cars, speedboats, and airport taxis.

The administration’s definitive stance was delivered directly to public transport owners and operators during a public engagement led by Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill, at the Stabroek Market Square. The meeting was organized in response to widespread reports of arbitrary fare increases by operators, which led to instances over the past weekend where passengers were left stranded at the Parika and Bartica stellings after refusing to pay unapproved rates.

Addressing the gathering, Edghill emphasised that the approved fare structures remain unchanged and legally binding for all commuters. The Minister stated that no fare increase has been approved by the government for speedboats, taxis, minibuses, or hire cars, and that no Guyanese citizen, tourist, child, or worker should be forced to pay increased rates. Furthermore, he clarified that no driver holds the authority to put a passenger out of their vehicle for refusing to pay unapproved fares, urging commuters to immediately report instances of harassment or price gouging to the regulators so that decisive action can be taken. To enforce compliance, Minister Edghill issued a final directive mandating that all public transportation operators must prominently display official, approved fare structures inside their vehicles or vessels.

On Wednesday several routes in Georgetown experienced disruption as operators protested what they described as government harassment while commuters were left stranded or scrambling for transportation.

Patterson said the situation reflects a broader failure by the government to use Guyana’s oil wealth to shield ordinary citizens from rising costs.

“In a period of rising prices and mounting pressure on households, there is no excuse for inaction. We must implement practical, targeted measures to ease the cost-of-living burden on the public,” he said.

The AFC official branded the proposal a “no brainer,” arguing that a modest fuel subsidy could help stabilise fares while easing pressure on both operators and commuters.

President Irfaan Ali on Tuesday urged fuel importers and public transport providers to slash their profits in wake of the drastic increase in cost of commodities across sectors due to the ongoing U.S./Iran war.

In a video posted on his official Facebook page, President Ali reminded that the Government of Guyana has taken many measures to help offset the inflationary prices and changes in its national market impact. However, he believes that to adequately address the international pressures and the rising cost of refined products, government and all stakeholders must work hand-in-hand.

“You will recall that the Government of Guyana removed the Excise Tax on imported products, refined products to zero. That would have meant that over the years all those who consume refined products, whether it’s the hire car, the speedboat operators, the minibuses, the private cars, whoever consumed these products…that the government would have taken up that cost, which amounts to about over $100 billion Guyana dollars annually,” the president said.

President Ali said that while the government has invested hundreds of billions of dollars annually to stave off any inflationary pressure at the pump and ensure that the prices remain stable, the consumers must benefit from a corresponding reduction.

“We did not see any corresponding reduction in taxi fares…We did not see corresponding reduction in the transportation costs. Now, in any society where this cost is absorbed, then there must be consequential benefits that go to the consumer further, and of course, the farmers and everyone who have benefited from this,” he added.

The President explained that internationally, when countries are faced with challenges, it requires action from both the private sector and the public sector. The President stressed that the entire globe is affected by a period of volatility.

“In this period of volatility, for us to address this as a country, as a system, and not adjust fares to the extent that it erodes consumers’ confidence and it adds pressure on the consuming public,” he said.

The Head-of-State lamented that the government has followed international trends as it relates to implementing price control measures and taken measures to ensure that Excise Tax went to zero.

“What that did is that it gives us now no room to adjust the excise tax, and now that the price has increased at the national market, we are asking those, all the stakeholders who would have benefited from the 0% excise tax to be nationalistic in their approach.  So, we expect that all of the operators will reduce their profit lines, so as to mitigate that impact, and also for us to, for the suppliers of public transportation to be socially responsible during this period…”

In the future, the President said Guyana will be looking to secure its fuel supply by actively engaging partners who want to invest in a refinery.

“We can have more price stability, given the fact that we are also producing our own crude, so I just wanted to say that these are some of the options available to us that we are also working closely with in addressing future challenges like this,” he stated.

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• AFC, David Patterson, fuel subsidy, minibus operators

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