THE Ministry of Communities presented 900 garbage bins to the United Minibus Union (UMU) last week to encourage proper garbage disposal among minibus operators and their passengers.

Some 105 of these bins were distributed on Friday to operators at the University of Guyana (UG)-Industry; Beterverwagting (BV) and Georgetown-Mahaica bus parks.

“The UMU recognises that public transportation can be a very important medium through which the need to have and to maintain a clean city or country can be realised. We will ask that our members politely inform their passengers that a bin is in the bus and request that they utilise same,” UMU President Eon Andrews said in a statement.

For some time, Andrews has been pushing for well-organised minibus parks in Guyana with the UG branch of the UMU becoming the first group of minibus operatives to begin wearing zone uniforms back in 2013.

Most recently, the union has been engaging in conversations with the Ministry of Business about several issues affecting the minibus system in Guyana, including non-standardised fares; high maintenance costs and the need for training in hospitality.
With the new supply of garbage bins, the union said that it will endeavour to ensure that buses in all routes of the country are equipped with such.