SEVERAL more commuters have complained about the arbitrary fare hikes by minibuses plying Route 44.

Unilateral fare hikes by minibus operators have been an on and off cause for concern in the last three years, with some incidents resulting in strike actions that left hundreds of commuters stranded.

It was the second such outcry within the last month, from passengers, the first being by operators on Route 32.
Many parents, who spoke to the Guyana Chronicle bemoaned the increase of as much as $60 imposed by minibus drivers on both routes.
The first complaints of the unsanctioned move surfaced in mid-December.
Repeated attempts by the Guyana Chronicle to contact the Head of Consumer Affairs, Ms. Muriel Tinnis, as well as the Permanent Secretary in the Tourism Ministry, Mr. Willet Hamilton, proved futile.
Meanwhile, Acting Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Mr. Irfaan Ali remains mum on whether any firmer actions are being taken to curb the worrying trend.
Following the rise in Route 32 charges, the last word from Ali was that an advisory was issued by the ministry, which urged persons to report the unauthorised charges to either the police or the ministry.

UNFAIR DEMANDS
He stated that police officers will be asked to enforce the current and approved fare structure and prevent unfair demands by the transport operators.
However, even as the minister dubs the higher charges both “unsanctioned and unjustified”, members of the public maintain that an advisory is not enough to rectify the situation.
This newspaper understands that while it was issued and some complaints made, not much was done by the ministry to deal with the issue, much to the chagrin of the travelling public.
Among commuters are schoolchildren, who already face difficulties with the transport system and now have the added burden of higher fares.
In December, Minister Ali had told the Guyana Chronicle that there is no way the Route 32 drivers can unilaterally decide to raise fares, adding that there have been no consultations with the Mini-Bus Association on the matter.
He had said, that the ministry has a standing agreement with the Association, which clearly states that in the absence of higher gasolene prices, there cannot be a raise in fares.
Unilateral fare hikes by minibus operators have been an on and off cause for concern in the last three years, with some incidents resulting in strike actions that left hundreds of commuters stranded.

(By Vanessa Narine)