– Gaskin says regulatory authority to enforce sector code of conduct

THE Ministry of Business intends to bring enforcement of a Code of Conduct for the public transport sector under a regulatory authority, and hopes to introduce non-cash payment systems for greater accountability.
Business Minister Dominic Gaskin shared this information with the Guyana Chronicle on Wednesday.

Having received a G$20 hike across-the-board in minibus fares, effective from September 1, several minibus operatives and commuters have made known their eagerness to see the establishment of a Code of Conduct.

Their interest in this regard peaked after a media release from the ministry had stated that it, along with the United Minibus Union (UMU), agreed that there was great need for the formation of a set of guidelines.

UMU President Eon Andrews had said that these changes could see hospitality training for conductors prior to their being allowed to uplift their conductor’s licence; guidelines on mode of dress; seating rules and more.

Gaskin told this newspaper that designing such a code will take time and the involvement of other ministries.

“It’s not something that we want to just draft… we want to have something that’s enforceable, that’s probably tied to the licensing or something like that, so that it becomes a condition under which you are licensed to operate a public transportation service.

“While we may have identified a few areas that we want to address in a Code of Conduct of whatever we want to call it, the actual implementation of it has to be worked out…the issue is deciding who would be the authority for implementing it. It is unlikely that it will be the Ministry of Business, so it would involve some discussion with one or more of my colleague ministers, so that we can arrive at some consensus on which agency would have responsibility for regulating the sector,” he said.

Currently, the public transportation sector is governed by several bodies including the police, the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), the Ministry of Public Infrastructure’s Transport and Harbours Department, the Mayor and City Hall and others.

SINGLE FRAMEWORK
Gaskin hopes that the regulation of the Code of Conduct can see these varying responsibilities being constructed into one framework.

“Public transportation is probably one of the most vital sectors in any economy and if it’s going to be left up to individual operators to decide [what occurs], it’s not going to work to the benefit of our country,” he said.

He added: “I would like to be able, with a little more confidence, to recommend our public transportation system to the average tourist visiting Guyana.”

The minister stressed that there are a number of areas which will require greater supervision by law-enforcement bodies such as the loading and unloading of passengers, speed limits and overloading.

In addition to the proposed Code of Conduct, the ministry wants to move the sector ahead in this technological age, while simultaneously providing a better transport service to the public.

“Something that we have discussed internally is a payment system that is perhaps not a cash-based system, because we keep hearing that when you give a [minibus operator] $100 you don’t get back change and those kinds of things.

“So, we’re looking to see, in this day and age, whether there’s not a smarter system that can be used that would provide more accountability and more security, so that when you raise a fare or when a fare is changed it could be $84 dollars and if you have a smart payment system that is the exact money that will be paid,” Gaskin stated.

At the same time, the business minister reminded that commuters, too, have a role to play in the enforcement of the guidelines when established, as they are oftentimes the ones greatest affected the by ill-practices in the sector.