ACTING Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce (TIC), Irfaan Ali says his Ministry can only advise commuters not to pay the fare increases being imposed on commuters by public transport operators.“We can just advise commuters; we cannot do anything more… We have not had an official complaint. If we get a complaint, we will deal with those persons (public transport operators),” he told the Chroonicle yesterday.

The first increase of fares was levied last December by the Route 32 operators. Public transport operators on Route 44 did likewise a few weeks later. Both routes are demanding increases of as much as $60 to the standard fare.

Route 31 minibus drivers and hire car operators staged a major strike last Wednesday, leaving hundreds of workers and schoolchildren stranded as they demanded an increase of $20.

In all of this, Minister Irfaan Ali maintains that the increases are illegal, and must be reported.
“We continue to advise consumers that they are not to pay any increases;the increases are illegal. Consumers should report the increases to the police station or to the Ministry.

“There is no justification for the increases, as our advisory has said.”
He noted that there is with public transport operators a standing agreement which clearly states that in the absence of increases in gas prices, there cannot be any increase in fares. “The Ministry of Finance is continuously making adjustments to keep gas at a certain price…there is no justification for an increase,” Ali said.

Minister Ali reiterated his call for commuters to report the arbitrary imposition to the police or the Commerce Ministry, and not pay any increases.

HELPLESS
The Guyana Chronicle spoke to several commuters, and they maintain that while the ministry has made its position clear, they face a different reality.

One teacher on Route 32 said, “It is not a case of not reporting the case; but when you report it, the bus drivers ‘pass something’ to the police and nothing comes out of the report. All you end up getting is waste time.”

A woman who works in Georgetown told this newspaper that she uses the Route 44 minibuses, and they demand a $60 increase on the standard fare. She said, “I used to have to pay $140., and now the bus drivers want $200. I have to get home, so I pay it. If you don’t pay it, what you gon do, walk home? The five per cent they (Government) give you done on passage to go and come from work.”

The consensus from commuters on Route 31 is not much different.
One man said, “The Government needs to do something, because the problem will get bigger, and then what will happen?”

PROMISE
Early in 2013, Transport Minister Robeson Benn promised an investigation into the unregulated hike in minibus fares across the various routes at nights, when commuters are asked to pay double.

In late 2012, there was talk of the introduction of 30-seater buses; but, to date, there has been no word on the status of this initiative.

At the time of a major bus strike in 2011, a number of big buses were deployed around the various bus parks, and worked throughout the day to ferry commuters around.
Minister Benn was then overlooking the arrangements, and 30-seaters and larger buses were taking persons home free of cost.
Minister Benn, at the time, had also acknowledged being told of several instances of conductors and driver physically assaulting passengers who were unwilling to yield to their demands.

The introduction of this relief measure during the strike action was much to the chagrin of minibus operators, who held on to their demand for higher fares.

Unilateral fare hikes by minibus operators have been an intermittent cause of concern to the travelling public over the last few years.
Written By Vanessa Narine