Public being urged to ‘police’ minivan operators

Users of public service transport-minivans, are being urged to report poor conduct by operators of these vehicles and documenting incidents with the use of cellular phones and other devices where possible.

Off duty police officers and officers not attached to the traffic department of the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVGPF), are also being asked to help to better police minibus operators.

This has come from the officer in-charge of traffic, transport and garage, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Parnel Browne, who told SEARCHLIGHT that some of the nation’s public service transport providers are breaking too many laws, and the traffic department cannot be everywhere.

Among the issues pointed out by the traffic boss are loud music in passenger vans, asking passengers to get out the minivan when they complain of unacceptable actions, speeding, stopping at places not designated as bus stops, and aggressive driving including overtaking in dangerous areas.

“If you are riding a public service vehicle and you believe your rights are being infringed on, I am asking you to report to the police and let the police carry out investigations and bring charges where charges can be brought,” ASP Browne said during the November 11, 2024 interview.

He said the behaviour of some public service transport drivers is an ongoing concern of his department.

“They believe that they are a law unto themselves, but we are in the process of seeing how we can tweak the regulations…,” Browne said, while noting that also of great concern is the music being played in some of these minivans.

“The music- it is ridiculous. The amount of complaints that we get from commuters on a day-to-day base, it is ridiculous. We are asking operators of public service transport to desist with this practice that they have playing these loud and aggressive music in their transport while they are carrying our peaceful citizens,” the traffic head noted.

He said that minibus operators must be aware that not everyone is inclined to the type of music, or the volume at which the music is played.

“…they are playing some unedited versions of some Jamaican music and I don’t know how they could feel comfortable playing unedited music in their vehicles and expecting everybody is of the same mind or the same nature that they want to hear these unedited, vulgar music being blasted.”

He added, “I am calling on all police officers, whether you are working traffic or wherever you are working, you are a police officer…assist the traffic department to get these motorists to understand that the service they are providing is not to make people uncomfortable because the music is making the majority of the people uncomfortable.

“I am calling on all police officers to execute the law. If you are not sure how to charge, then you can liaison with the traffic department and we can and will give you the offence and the section of law under which you can charge people,” Browne added.

He said there have been incidents where passengers have asked minivan operators to lower the music, and instead, the driver stopped the van and demanded that the passenger exits the public service vehicle.

“How can we sit back as a law enforcement agency and allow these things to happen? It’s not supposed to happen,” Browne stressed, while noting that they have charged minivan operators after complaints were made by commuters.

“If it is not brought to the police attention, you can’t say the police is not doing anything. If a man put you out of a public service transport because you told them to turn down the volume of their music…if it is not brought to the police attention, the police would not be able to take action…so you have to bring these things to the police attention and be willing to go to court and say ‘yes, I was riding motor vehicle XYZ and when it got to this location I asked them to turn down the music because it was overbearing and they told me to get out of the vehicle’.”

ASP Browne added, “We would act on your behalf and do the necessary investigation and bring charges where necessary so I am urging all commuters young and old…to report these acts to the traffic department and the officers will take action”.

He also noted that there have been incidents where minivans stop in the middle of the road, blocking the entire roadway, in an effort to prevent other minibuses from passing them and picking up passengers. ASP Browne said incidents of this nature should also be reported.