CHILDREN from six schools within the Lethem municipality in the Rupununi are expected to benefit from a dedicated bus service.

The implementation of the service follows the unveiling of a 32-seater bus to service the area.
According to a release from the Ministry of Communities, the Lethem Mayor and Town Council purchased the bus at a cost of $9M after recognising the plight of families within the communities.
The 32-seater bus began plying the route last Thursday, and transported the children to school free of cost during the inaugural period.
A payment system took effect this Monday, whereby each child is required to pay $1,000 per week, or $200 per day. Teachers will also benefit from the transportation service, the release says.

Lethem Mayor, Mr Carlton Beckles, noted during the commissioning of the service last week that a second bus will be purchased in the coming months to address the transportation issues in the area.
Beckles said that the Council has a responsibility to families, like ensuring that children have the necessary transportation service to attend school.
“So, from the municipality, we have purchased this bus to get the children to school at an extremely reduced fare,” Beckles said. The bus service is expected to benefit both residents and the municipality.
Beckles explained that whatever funds are garnered from the service will go towards the development of education in the municipality.
TOO COSTLY
As to the rationale for implementing the bus service, Beckles said: “Parents have to pay as much as $2000 or $2500 a week per child, and that is from Lethem to St Ignatius. If you have three children going to school and you are paying between $2000 and $2500, you are paying between $6000 and $7500 a week.”
Deputy Mayor, Ms Maxine Welch, said that the school-bus system is not meant to compete with private service providers, but was initiated to assist children in the communities, particularly those who traverse long distances on foot to and from school.
There’s also the case, she said, whereby some parents have more than one school-aged child and live in far-flung communities and as such may not be able to afford the cost of transportation.
Some parents, she said, are forced to utilise the services of taxis, whereby they have to pay as much as $3,000 per child.
She foresees that the new transportation arrangement will boost student attendance and punctuality.
Regional Chairman, Mr Bryan Allicock, applauded the municipality for taking such an initiative, since it will be of tremendous benefit to the community.