THE owner of a route Number 50 minibus who bought his vehicle from Trans Pacific Auto dealers at Good Hope, East Coast Demerara in September 2011 is claiming that when the auto dealers took it to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) to get the documents for the vehicle written up it was registered as a 15-seater bus, meaning that it would be allowed to carry 15 persons on board, including the driver.

What the person at the Revenue Authority perhaps did not observe, was that at the front of the bus, there was only one seat provided for a passenger along with the driver, and not two. The space provided between the driver’s seat and the seat next to the door on the left, was not in effect, a passenger’s seat, but merely a compartment carrying a cover, which could be used to store the driver’s food and beverage or even tools for emergency use.
However, when the bus was inspected by the police, they certified it as a 14-seater vehicle, which meant that thereafter, it would only be allowed to have 14 persons on board, including the driver.

Who’s right and who’s wrong?
In the ensuing months, the owner of the vehicle Sallielal Budhoo, of Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice continued to hold steadfast to his claim that his vehicle has a seating capacity for 15, since that is what is stated on the GRA document. On the other hand the passengers in the bus stoutly object to him taking 13 persons on board, along with his conductor. That situation continued for almost one year, with the traffic cops insisting that the bus could legally carry only 13 passengers, and Budhoo maintaining that he is covered to carry 14, including a conductor.
Budhoo said that when he took the vehicle back to the auto dealers and requested them to get the document to reflect a 14-seating capacity, they promised to do so but he waited for quite a while, only to learn later that they were not getting through.
He said that as time was slipping away and no action was being taken, he decided to try doing it on his own.  He approached the GRA office in Smyth Street, and was advised it is not as simple as matter as just changing the figure. There was a procedure to be followed. The officer advised him to get the following documents: A letter from the Brickdam Office verifying that it was a 14-seater vehicle; a photo copy of the auto registration and that the person from Trans Pacific Auto Sales should report to the GRA office as well.
The purchaser claimed he secured all the documentation requested and took them to the GRA Office (Smyth Street). He has not been able to get the Trans Pacific Motor Spares representative to respond to the call. Since then, another five months have elapsed and there is no response from GRA. But to compound matters, the licence expired on September 6, and the Budhoos would like to have it renewed.

Royal run-around
He said he went back to the Smyth Street office, but this time, was advised to go the Traffic Chief, with the understanding that he would give the permission to have the document changed. But when Budhoo and his wife arrived at Traffic Chief’s Office, they were advised that he has nothing to do with it: GRA registered it, so they must make the change. They have since been going around in circles: To the Office of the Commissioner of Police who considered it ludicrous that they should be sent to his office; other GRA officials, and eventually the GRA Commissioner General yesterday.
Budhoo claims that in all his months of trekking yesterday’s experience was the worst, and the net result is that his document is now at the Lamaha Street Office and he was advised that he will have to continue waiting – perhaps indefinitely.
The time has now come for the licence of the motor vehicle BNN7851 to be renewed, but the owners want a final decision to be made as to what category the vehicle fits into. In the meantime, the deadline has passed, and they would be expected to pay a late fee of $8,000. They are adamant, claiming that it is not their fault that the licence has not yet been renewed, and feel that some discretion should be offered.
In the meantime, the owners are greatly perturbed over the fact that if they have to park the vehicle pending a decision to be taken by GRA. They are likely to suffer great inconvenience, including the financial embarrassment of not being able to honour their loan repayment.
This newspaper tried in vain to reach the parties concerned: Trans Pacific Motor Spares, in the first place. When contacted, Mr. Mahendra Satram at the Lamaha GRA Office was unavailable for a comment; the Smyth Street Officer could also not be reached. A traffic rank at Traffic Headquarters offered advice on how to go about getting the initial documents requesting the change, but Budhoo said he has already gone through that and his problem has still not been solved.
But it is still not clear what prompted the GRA official to indicate that the bus was a 15-seter and not 14. Also just why Budhoo was left on his own to deal with the problem when, as he claims, it was the auto sales dealer who accepted the document which states that the bus is a 15-seater.