In the wake of the recent article in this newspaper, detailing the escalating harassment of passengers by touts operating on bus parks in the city, it was  noticed on Tuesday that members of the Guyana Police Force have beefed up their presence on the Linden, Sophia, South Ruimveldt and East Coast minibus parks. However, while several commuters see this as a positive move by the police, they declared that what they are really looking forward to is “lasting relief” from  the molestation by touts, observing that  similar campaigns  in the past had only brought a temporary remedy.
While the harassment of passengers by touts has been a bothersome matter for years now, it appears as if none of the previous police strategies to counteract this menace was effective since over time the situation continues to escalate, much to the annoyance and discomfort of passengers.
After our reporter endured a very unpleasant run-in with a tout on the East Coast park, covert  observation campaigns were launched on all bus parks in the city and the results were shocking.
Touts were caught on camera almost tearing passengers to pieces as they attempted to drag them into buses of their choice, and they were also observed doing one hundred meter sprints and crashing into passengers who would have otherwise preferred to be unmolested while selecting a bus.
After our article appeared on Tuesday with front page photos of the touts in their loathsome operations, police personnel were seen monitoring the bus parks in the city.
On Tuesday morning, the regular raucous stampede was not seen at the Linden Park, but  touts and conductors were seen soliciting passengers in an orderly and polite manner, under the watchful eye of a police inspector and constable.
For a number of years, the presence of touts on the  bus and car parks have not only brought great discomfort to  commuters and passersby, but the situation  escalated to a point where persons have become afraid to venture near some bus parks in the city.

Meanwhile, order was also restored to the South Ruimveldt and East Coast bus parks, and passengers were able to breathe a sigh of relief.
On the Sophia bus park, the wild stampede was no longer evident and it appeared as if a few of the raucous ‘regulars’ were off duty.   
The situation on the Patentia/West Coast bus park was also much more orderly. Buses were now in orderly queues, and according to reports, a few drivers breaking the law on the parks were apprehended by the police. A police patrol vehicle was also seen scouring the area.
As soon as a passenger as much as turned his or her head in the direction of the bus parks, the touts would normally rush at them. The poor passengers are then forced to endure sweaty bodies, as the touts shout and scream in their faces, while tugging at them and their bags. In their mad scramble, many times the touts would slam into passengers, causing great discomfort.
Will the police campaign be sustained?
This was the question asked by many who agreed that police intervention on the bus parks was indeed a positive move by the authorities.
Fashion designer John Quelch, who was headed for Diamond, applauded the efforts of the police but expressed grave misgivings about the long-term continuance of the exercise.
“This is indeed a good thing the police did, and it takes away the stress of having to deal with these touts on a daily basis. However, I am wondering if this will continue or just dwindle away like the other campaigns against the touts and bus conductors. If the police have to wait for the newspapers to bring this issue to light, then they are really not doing their jobs well. And I am sincerely hoping that they don’t slacken up or sag in this exercise, because again the touts will take things for granted.”
Vendor Sharon Somersett, operating just close to the South Ruimveldt Park, had different concerns. “What they did on Tuesday was a good thing, but what is bothering me is how effective this campaign will be. I work out here for years now and some of these police more scared of the touts and bus conductors more than anything else. Sometimes they are just inches away when all the lawlessness is going on at the parks and they won’t even budge….. Especially the female police officers who are on the road sometimes…”
Former school teacher of Princeton’s College, Candacy Jackman, was quite relieved at the new orderliness  and quiet on the bus parks on Tuesday.“This is such a relief…. I mean to come on the bus parks and encounter quiet and order!! We have not had this in ages… My concerns, however, are how long this going to last.”
Queuing up
In the meantime, some drivers on the bus parks are calling for the urgent intervention by the relevant authority to implement a system of orderly queuing up and having an officer to monitor the compliance  and maintain law and order.
They are also calling for government intervention to have the issue of the touts addressed and resolved once and for all.

Pic saved as Patentia Park, captioned as: Order at last – the presence of this police patrol on the West Bank bus park on Tuesday brought a welcome relief to commuters.

Pic saved as In Line, captioned as: The way it should be – On the East Bank buspark on Tuesday the mere presence of the police saw buses taking their turn in queues while conductors politely solicited passengers.