THE Chronicle’s recent editorial on Guyana’s transportation woes, although timely, does not offer any real solutions, only problems.  The first thing that needs to be done is for government to undertake a study, both on the problems expressed in the editorial and possible solutions, that can be tried.  The solution may lie in giving the public some form of alternatives and the private mini-bus owners some competition. Competition forces people to behave differently to their customers.  It is likely that more than one mode of transportation may be necessary and enacted in phases as the results are known.  Government must consider private, joint ventures and public investment in transportation, while pursuing practical solutions. Some things that may be considered to improve travel and create competition: small-sized buses best suited to the roads in Georgetown; and larger ones for highway routes only, a mixture of various mini-bus types best suited to a given route and potential riders.

The Chronicle should pursue this problem with government to determine if they are seriously pursuing solutions.
In some countries, there are various bus services geared to specific groups, routes and destinations.  School buses and long-distance buses that operate mainly outside the city with limited stops should be considered if and where practical.  Taking students out of the mini-bus scene is a worthwhile effort.  Travel is faster and less crowded, if bus stops are staggered with bus “A’ stopping at every other stop on the way, while bus “B” does the opposite thereby providing for all stops.  It is time to think outside the proverbial “box”, stop complaining and give travellers some transportation alternatives besides enforcing & tightening the laws against abusive mini-bus owners.

N. AUGUSTUS