Zone 40 and 48 minibuses are yet to occupy their new parking area at the western end of the Stabroek Market Square and are preparing to file legal proceedings in the High Court.
Meanwhile zone 45 minibuses have moved to occupy the same area while zone 41 minibuses are not parked anywhere but are “circling around” from Croal Street onto Avenue of the Republic picking up passengers along the way. Percival Etwaroo, a route 40 bus operator, who was said to be speaking on behalf of the operators, told Stabroek News that the drivers were not willing to be moved and are taking action to request that they remain operating at their ‘historical park’.
According to Etwaroo, the bus park on Croal Street, North of St Andrews Primary School is a ‘Historical one.’ Etwaroo said that since 1988 the park was occupied by hire car operators who worked the Kitty/Campbellville area and the transition was later made to minibuses.
Both zone 40 and 45 operators voiced concerns that the minibuses from all three zones (40, 45 and 48) will not fit comfortably in the allotted area.
Geoffrey Carter, a route 45 operator, said that it is not possible to accommodate all the minibuses from the required zones in the area. He said however that the 45 minibuses would be comfortable in the area providing that lanes are painted and a strict and orderly manner of acquiring passengers is enforced. At the moment no proper system is in place and buses are ”boring the line” while others are parked for hours unable to get any passengers.
However Minister Robeson Benn had said that according to surveys done regarding the space required for minibuses operating the three zones along with private vehicles, all the vehicles should fit comfortably since the occupancy level of the parking area was always low.
When this newspaper visited the park yesterday zone 45 minibuses were parked haphazardly in the former private park along with vehicles belonging to market vendors. No zone 40 or 48 buses were occupying the area as they were still parked in the Croal Street area on a “temporary strike”.
Taxi operators took the opportunity to make extra cash collecting more than one passenger per trip and charging $200 and $300 per drop off. And the few zone 40 buses that did work were seen carrying overloads.
This situation follows a court order handed down by the High Court to clear the Avenue of the Republic of all minibuses. Stakeholders, including the M&CC, representatives of the minibus association, the Ministry of Public Works and Ministry of Local Government had met on Saturday for discussions and the arrangements for the new parks were made.
Minister Benn had said on Monday at a press conference at City Hall that the decisions taken were final.
He said that the problems arising from the relocations were not expected since representatives from the minibus associations were present when the decisions were made.
This newspaper understands that Minister Benn was on the streets once again yesterday afternoon to observe how the relocations were going.
Meantime members of the Georgetown Public Trans-portation Association (GPTA) have deposited a preliminary $30,000 with the association as “legal fees” to battle likely problems. (Melissa Charles)
