“Powerful people…people with connection own minibuses and a blind eye is turned when they break the law,” says Head of the United Minibus Union, Eon Andrews.
He was admonishing the Guyana Police Force (GPF), saying that corruption has a catalytic reaction for more lawlessness.

According to Andrews, the Union had received reports that most buses that stop on the no-stopping areas to pick up passengers are owned by prominent persons in the GPF and, subsequently other minbuses follow suit.
“Most operators feel that if they [those in the GPF] get away with it then they can too. They say to themselves that “there isn’t anything stopping them so there shouldn’t be anything stopping us, and so corruption escalates,” Andrews said, adding that the police should lead by example.
He stated that he was made aware that certain members of the GPF were receiving bribes from minibus operators. “We have had reports about buses ‘hot-plating’ (breaching no-stopping zones) on the park in the presence of the police and the only way this can be stopped is if the law is enforced by the police.”
“It’s shameful. It’s all about the money,” he declared, noting that he had written to  Traffic Chief Hugh Dehnert about these issues and has not yet received any  response.

CONGESTION and LAWLESSNESS
He said that in his letter he had mentioned the recent increasing congestion and the lawlessness in the Stabroek area. “So I had to write the Commissioner of Police,” he told this newspaper.
In his letter, Andrews said that he had attached a copy of his first letter to the Traffic Chief but this also proved futile since he has received no response.

THREATENED
He added that he was dismayed when he was told by members of the Union that certain mini-bus operators were threatened last Saturday by the police for speaking to the media. He said that these operators are fearful for their lives.
When Guyana Chronicle contacted Dehnert, he said that the Head of the Minibus Union should address his correspondence appropriately “…and he will get the appropriate response.” He added that the Traffic Department in the GPF is doing its best to enforce the laws. According to him, the GPF may not be adequately staffed but they are utilizing the resources accessible. “…it’s up to those in the administration,” to provide the resources.
He said that the congestion is not an issue only at bus parks but throughout the country. In the last five years the GPF has seen a rise in vehicles on the road and this, he believed, is the root of congestion. “We have less space…not enough roads but more vehicles added to these roads.”
On a daily basis, he said, the GPF is forced to pull buses off the park for picking up passengers on no-stopping areas. He added that there are many buses and it’s difficult to keep track on all of them. “There are so many things to be done and we can’t focus on everything but we do deal with the minbuses.”

TAKING A BRIBE
Mini-bus operators at the 32 and 40 park complained that they are being treated unjustly for towing the line. They argued that the police work in collaboration with some buses and take bribes.
“The police have to do their jobs. We can’t turn by the stop we have to go straight over but the spin buses (hotplate buses) would turn the corner and spin around the park and pick up,” said Jomo Young, a driver at the 32 bus park. In addition to that, he said that they are forced to work under tremendous strain because they have to share the park with market vendors.
“This is the most disgusting thing we at this park got to  endure. It ain’t get no other park that is so congested. Especially on the weekends, the place is be crammed with vendors, spin buses and the sewage scent in we face all day.
“There is never space to park your bus because the whole place block-up. This thing ga stop and nobody ain’t doing nothing. When we talk to the police they turn a blind eye, when we talk to the market constables them a seh that ain’t their problem. This is too much.” Young also said that the police and the minibus union aren’t doing anything to help them.
David Ramnarine, who had been operating a minibus at the 32 park for eight years, said that all they have received were promises and no action. He said that ‘hotplate’ buses get away with breaking the law because “…the police is their friend or a good godfather.”
“The buses would load in the presence of the police. The touts would collect passengers and load right on the plate and they would even come and tek way your passengers out of your bus because the passengers ain’t want wait – they want go with the spin buses… there is no regard for order or system in this place…lawlessness is what prevails. What can we do? We need to enforce the line system and lock up the spin buses.”