…threaten to shred tyres, force commuters from minibuses

A NUMBER of minibus drivers on the East Coast of Demerara went on strike Thursday morning in protest of the recent hike in fuel prices, but they also appeared to have taken their protest a bit too far when they threatened to shred the tyres of non-striking minibuses, leaving numerous commuters stranded and, in some cases, creating build-up of traffic.

They also blocked the road, demanding all passing buses be emptied in solidarity with the protest. The bus operators and owners noted that if Government does not intervene and immediately reduce fuel prices, consumers will face the consequences.
Guyoil prices remain low
As of Thursday morning, the state-owned Guyana Oil Company Limited (GuyOil) outlet on Regent Street was retailing gasoline at $230 per litre. This compares to advertised prices of $239 at Shell and $235 at Rubis locations. Guyoil is also retailing diesel at $214 as compared to $233 at Shell and $227 at Rubis.

Traditionally, Guyoil has always maintained lower prices than the independent retailers so as to keep the market competitive. At the Plaisance minibus park, one driver who gave his name as “Andrew”, said gas prices is not the only issue, since minibus drivers are paying $7,000 for a set of brake pads when previously it was only$4,500.
“The government needs to waive the taxes on the gas so the prices can come down. Right now passengers pay $60 to Kingston and $100 to Plaisance; people have not received an increase of pay, so we can’t kill the people to pay an increase in fare,” he said.
An East Coast Demerara bus driver, who declined to give his name, said everything else is going up in the country except minibus fares.
Minibus fares were increased by $20 four years ago.

“As long as gas price goes up, everything else falls apart. Imagine, they want us to buy new tyres and when you fall into a hole in the road, the tyre bend up; $16,000 for a new tyre and the Chinese brands are the worst; even grease price raise. It is not easy out here, they are sitting in an office and taxpayers are footing the bill,” another driver said.
He explained that a new tyre does not last six months on a minibus because the roads are not in the best of conditions.

According to the minibus operators at the Plaisance Minibus Park, they use on average $7,000 in gasoline daily to conduct their service.
“The fuel prices eating into whatever we are making, and if placed under these strains, many would break,” one driver said.
At the Stabroek Market Minibus Park, drivers collectively noted that many persons would park their cars and use the minibus as transport because of the current situation with the gas prices.

Another driver named “Peters”, who has been a bus driver for 13 years, said bus drivers throughout the country are feeling the squeeze, noting that the prices for vehicle parts have increased and gas prices have only made things worst.

“These spare parts dealers are taking advantage on people and now we have to face this; all we looking for is a raise of $20,” he said.
On the East Coast of Demerara, route ‘44’ operators protested at the Lusignan Market Square and they echoed the sentiment that the majority of the commuters are hardworking and not wealthy.

They said they do not want to pass the burden of a price increase onto them, and are calling on the government to cushion the increase in gas prices.
The Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) on Wednesday said that it recognised that there were similar increases in the prices of kerosene and cooking gas. The union said it recalled in the past that oil prices, in some instances, exceeded the current international prices, but policies were embraced which sought to cushion the local impact.
“We refer to the reduction of the excise tax which, in effect, helped to soften, and in some cases, nullified the increased prices due to increases at the global level and which was a welcome effort that gave our people room to breathe. The federation, at this time, must express its strong dismay that as far as we are aware, no attempt has been made to embrace such a policy,” the union stated.