We can’t afford bus fare hike

Editor: After listening to a radio station I heard the The National Omnibus Association in January 2005 propose to increase the bus fares again, but I said to myself it was just last year the bus fares were increased and implemented. Commuters using these buses were paying the increased fares from as far as Fancy in the north and Chateaubelair on the leeward side. {{more}}

What is the Minister of Transport doing about this ? This is ridiculous!

After returning from Barbados where I frequently used the public transport, it took me BDS $1.50 to get from Bridgetown in the south to St. Lucy in the far North. Evidently Barbados is much bigger than St. Vincent but it takes you $1.50 to go to any destination in that country on the public transport.

What is happening here in SVG is a clear indication where the Minister of Transport has to step in to safeguard the public who use these buses from the huge bus fare being charged.

If there is an increase in cost, e.g. petrol and diesel, the government should offer subsidies to the Minibus Association that off set these costs incurred by the bus owner, simulteanously relieving commuters of the burden of paying these ridiculous fares, or the government should implement buses bought by the government and driven by civil servants.

It doesn’t take a scientist to realize salaries and wages in SVG are not the best, hence why should bus passengers of this country feel the burden of hiked fares so often! Public transport fares should be capped and controlled and regulated by the government.

Minister Francis and the Prime Minister have to step in this situation and protect the travelling public, which includes school children and senior citizens using these minibuses, because I can project there will be frequent absenteeism in schools, government offices and business places because the bus commuters simply cannot pay these huge fares.

Concerned Citizen