ROUTE 40 minibus operators have commended Traffic Chief Hugh Denhert for assigning police to their bus park to clamp down on buses that pick up passengers on ‘no stopping’ areas but they also slammed operators of those minibuses for having what they dubbed an “insatiable appetite for lawlessness”. “The man did his job and he must be thanked…we can’t only mention the bad and not compliment him when he helps us,” one bus driver said, commending Denhert.
This development follows reports by  minibus operators that traffic ranks  from the Guyana Police Force (GPF) were encouraging buses to pick up passengers on ‘no stopping’ areas and soliciting bribes in return.
Meanwhile, the Traffic Chief fired up and declared  zero tolerance for ranks who are entangled in corruption, as he noted that there remains a number of police, regardless if they are few, who are dedicated to  promoting law and order.
He had stated that members of the GPF had no excuse to enmesh themselves in corruption and bribery, not even if their salary is low. He said that their duty is not to promote lawlessness but to enforce the law. He added that the GPF’s image was being tainted because of those who treat their job carelessly and unprofessionally.
Reduction of ‘Hot Plate Buses’
Minibus operators are saying that they have seen a reduction of ‘hot plate buses’ on the park and many of them are now towing the line.
“Over the last couple weeks we see that the park clearing up and there is less and less ‘hot plate’ buses. And plus a set of police does be on the park these days so they don’t risk it. But you better believe that when the police gone them ‘hot plate’ buses back on the road,” said a mini-bus operator who has worked at that park for over sixteen years.

Buses Now In Queues
When Guyana Chronicle visited the park yesterday, during the rush hour, buses were lined up in the park waiting to be filled and the ‘no stopping’ areas were cleared. According to the operators they were shocked when ‘hot plate’ buses started to join the line.
“Right now the line is working fast. I could join the line from the back and in less than twelve minutes we would be out of the line and that’s in the peak hours. Well as long as the police out there but once they gone we back to square one.”
One conductor, who admitted to working on the ‘hot plate’, complained that the line system was slow. “I is work the plate and this thing aint working out,” he said, adding that if they remain in the line they can’t earn sufficient money.
Other operators at the park complained that these buses seemed to have outfoxed the police by monitoring them. They said that ‘hot plate’ buses have adapted a new strategy to deal with the police by changing the hours that they would pick up on the ‘no stopping’.
“First they use to be on the plate in the day but now the police deh all over so them does join the line. But when the night come them back on the plate because by that time the police already gone home. Police don’t patrol on the road in the night…by three, four o’clock time they done gone. So now the buses monitoring the police instead of them monitoring we.”