– despite agreement on structured fare

EVEN after the United Minibus Union represented the Route 44 operators on September 18 at a meeting with Minister of Tourism (ag), Irfaan Ali following protest action and a structured fare was agreed and implemented, some unscrupulous minibus operators are still demanding an increase.

The fare hike is being demanded in the afternoon period, especially during the ‘rush hour’ and at nights when fewer minibuses are operating, commuters reported.

Passengers said they are still forced to pay $200 to get home in the evening from the city to Victoria, East Coast Demerara, with four persons in a seat, which they described as very unfair.

The fare agreed upon is $160 from Georgetown to as far as Victoria, East Coast Demerara.

Elderly folks and school children who are stranded at the East Coast Demerara bus parks are not exempt since they are told they must pay the $200 before entering the bus.

Sometimes passengers, who have had a long day at work, are left with little or no choice but to pay the demanded increase outside the agreed fare structure system that was put in place.

Commuters are calling on the relevant authorities to address the matter since they cannot afford to pay such an increase which is demanded by the minibus operators.
New fare structure for Georgetown-Mahaica route, effective September 2014

Following the meeting with the minibus operators and the United Minibus Union, a press statement said all operators must place in their minibuses the published fare structure and commuters are advised not to pay any fare outside of this structure.

Speaking at a press conference held on September 18 at the Tourism Ministry’s boardroom on South Road, Minister Ali noted that it has been several months now that the Ministry has been monitoring the present situation of fare hikes and unfair treatment of commuters by minibus operators.
“Over the past months we have been receiving many complaints from commuters in relation to the imposition of fares that were not sanctioned by the Ministry or any authority that has jurisdiction in terms of the setting of fares,” Ali said.

Ali also reported that there were many meetings between the Ministry and the minibus operators and their representatives and there was an agreement that “once the gas prices at the GuyOil (Guyana Oil Company) stations, which the Government controls, is less than a $1,000 then the increase in fares would not become necessary.”

He related that the Government took all the necessary measures to make sure that the gas prices are kept below $1,000 and still some of the operators have tried to increase their fares.

Ali, however, emphasised that “if unauthorised fares are demanded, commuters are within their rights to refuse to pay and are urged to take note of the minibus number and report the matter to the relevant authority. Also if at any time commuters are refused entry into a minibus that demands a higher fare than published, commuters should again take that bus number and report it to the law enforcement representatives.”

(By Michel Outridge)