By Francis Quamina Farrier

IT HAS taken me over 20 years to get sufficient material and evidence to write this feature article the way I need to write it, simply because I drive slowly and very carefully, even as a journalist. No speeding for me. The issue at hand is the ongoing madness on our roads, resulting in hundreds of fatalities and countless injuries over the past three decades. So let’s concentrate on the ‘minibus fiasco’ which contributed greatly to the madness and slaughter of so many precious Guyanese lives.

Now let me alert you that I am hereby extending congratulations and thanks to all the very good minibus operators who give safe and comfortable service to their passengers, one ride at a time. Of course, it would not be possible for me to list the names of all these good operators since they number in the hundreds.

However, I have pulled one ‘Gold Star’ operator’s name out of my “Best Mini Bus Operators” bag and came up with Michael Moore of the Route 45 in Georgetown. I must also give special mention to the Bell twin brothers. Their service as minibus operators is also of “Gold Star” standard.

Now let me go into the meat-of-the-matter; right into how I have gone about this decades-long project. From back in the late 1970s when Guyana’s own international superstar Eddy Grant, at the behest of President Forbes Burnham, brought in a number of (red) minibuses to prop up the transportation needs of the Guyanese people at that time, and later, the gesture to importers of minibuses being granted tax exemption at the order of President Desmond Hoyte, during the mid 1980s and onwards. Following that encouragement to minibus owners, I continued to note very closely, their operations in the country. Many seemed to be extremely greedy in how much they wanted from their minibus operation.
[I have been] observing the very poor service, especially the BOOM BOOM boxes, the speeding and reckless driving, (dangerous over-taking) resulting in the deaths of hundreds of Guyanese over the years. Over two decades, I also took to accessing minibus operations in many of the sister CARICOM countries, in order to make comparisons. The countries included Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, St. Lucia, Jamaica, Suriname, the Cayman Islands and others.

I also observed minibus operations in three African Countries- Ghana, Senegal and Togo- at first hand. Incidentally, motorcycles are used as taxis in Ghana and Togo. During the past decade, I interviewed many persons who use minibuses on a regular basis, to get their views and suggestions for the establishment of better mechanisms to be put in place for the needed improvements of the operations of minibuses in Guyana, since there are likely over 50 per cent of workers and students use minibuses to get to work and to school.
A strict code of conduct, including proper and clean attire by drivers and conductors as one important element, was one of the recommendations. A mandatory bath by operators before turning up for work was another. Photo Identification tags with clearly visible names and numbers to be worn by both driver and conductor was also suggested. A special minibus hotline to be installed at Traffic Headquarters for passengers who have complaints was also suggested. Will the powers-that-be consider such recommendations, or will the madness on our roads continue with so many people seriously injured and killed?
Now to the aspect of the headline; those greedy individuals who are one of the main causes of the ‘minibus fiasco’ in Guyana; Many of them are referred to as “BOSS MAN” by the bus operators, as such, I respectfully address them in a similar way.

Mr BOSSMAN, you have to recognise that in demanding a mega million jackpot earnings at the end of each day, you are in effect ‘driving’ your bus operators to speed, overload and also behave less than professional.

Mr BOSSMAN, I am tempted to accuse you of being culpable in the deaths and injuries of thousands of your fellow Guyanese over the past three decades. Do reflect and tell that “man in the mirror”, that he needs to reduce the amount he demands from his minibus operations every day. In effect, reduce your greed and help save lives.
Since this is an article also intended to give kudos to the professional minibus operators, I have another positive minibus story for you. Some years ago I was travelling from Georgetown to Timehri in a Route 42 minibus. The driver’s cell phone rang three times during the journey. On all three occasions, he very briefly explained his intent and apologised to the passengers as he pulled off the road and stopped the bus. He made the calls very short; 45 seconds at the maximum.

That experience moved me to write a letter to the Traffic Chief, informing him of the excellent performance by that minibus driver. Yes, there are those minibus operators who do their service at international standards and we have to be proud of them and let them know that we appreciate their contribution, to help bring “The Good Life” to those Guyanese who “Watch De Ride” in comfort and safety. It would also be nice for passengers to tell those good minibus operators, “THANKS,” as they exit the bus.