Bus commuters, who were anticipating reduced fares, had mixed experiences yesterday as several minibus operators refused to decrease their prices. When this newspaper visited the various bus parks yesterday afternoon, many bus operators had not reduced their prices and according to some of them most of the customers had not objected to paying the same fare.
One Route 45 bus driver said that most customers were willing to pay $80 after he had explained to them that the decision to lower prices had been made without proper consultation and that the price of other items had not been reduced. However, a few persons insisted on paying $60 and the driver said that he had no problem in accepting this.
However, for Clement Etwaroo, a Route 40 bus driver, most of the commuters who used his bus were paying $60. The conductress of the bus said that most of the customers were paying exact fares. Although they were not happy about this the two said that they had no choice but to accept the situation.
One commuter said that if a passenger wanted to ensure that they paid the reduced fare, they had to pay the exact amount. The woman said that most of the conductors were still charging the old fare and would continue to do so if the passengers did not represent themselves.
Another minibus operator, Percival Etwaroo who also traverses the Kitty-Campbellville route said that his fare remains at $80. He said that before passengers entered his bus he told them what the fare was. If they did not want to pay this fare, he said that he instructed them that they could catch another bus. The minibus driver said that this policy had not affected his business for the day.
Etwaroo, who is an executive member of the Guyana Public Transportation Association (GPTA), said that he would not lower his fares because his body was not consulted. He said that his Association was not informed about the meeting held with the Minister of Commerce Manniram Prashad which occurred last week.
However at this meeting Compton Giddings the Association’s Public Relations Officer was present and he agreed to the decision to reduce prices. Etwaroo, however, told this newspaper that Compton Giddings is on extended leave and Hiram Grant was appointed to act in his capacity by the Association. Etwaroo said that this decision meant that Giddings had no authority to make representation on behalf of the Association.
Minister Prashad announced on Tuesday that after collaborations, the Guyana Mini Bus Association (GMBA) had agreed to reduce their fares from today. However, after this announcement was made the GPTA and the United Minibus Union for Route 45 Buses, stated their objections.
These two representative bodies said that the reduction of gas prices was not enough to warrant a decrease in fares since the price for spare parts and other vital commodities for running these buses had not been lowered. These groups also called for reductions in the rates charged by the various government controlled utility companies such as GWI and GPL.
