-Prashad reiterates
Commuters across Guyana should not pay any increased minibus fares once the price for fuel remains under $1,000, Commerce Minister Manniram Prashad reiterated yesterday.
The minister called a press conference after a meeting with minibus associations following an announcement in the morning by President of the General Minibus Association (GMA) Lylon Weithers that there would a $20 fare hike across the country.
The minister said that Weithers was speaking for himself and did not have the mandate of his organisation’s general membership.
Prashad said he met Police Liaison and Recruiting Officer of the Guyana Public Transportation Association (GPTA) Vibert Belle along with other members Alexander Belle and Etwaroo; Shivram Talmakund of the Route 32 Minibus Association and Hilbert Archer, former adviser to the president of the GMA. Archer, who was at the minister’s press conference along with Etwaroo, announced yesterday that he had resigned his position.
Prashad said the association members who attended the meeting had made it clear that they were not in support of Weithers’ announcement. The GPTA members said there was no meeting of the associations where an increase of fares was discussed and agreed upon.
According to the minister, Archer, who was also with Weithers when he announced the fare hike yesterday, insisted that he was not in agreement with the way Weithers dealt with the matter as he was a firm believer in dialogue.
Prashad said there was an agreement that minibus associations would not raise fares unless the price for fuel exceeds $1,000. “This agreement still stands,” he said, “and so I am calling on persons not to pay any increases.”
According to Prashad the government through his office and the Ministry of Home Affairs, would do all it could to ensure that the consuming public is not “fleeced, blackmailed or ripped off”.
Prashad said his office was in the process of dealing with a number of other areas that could possibly ease the strain being felt by minibus owners including the issue of used tyres and the manufacturing of brake-pads locally. Prashad said he would explore the possibility of some forms of concession being granted for the importation of needed equipment and machinery for this exercise. He said he would also be engaging the Guyana National Bureau of Standards to ensure used tyres are properly inspected and sub-standard tyres disposed of.
In support of the announcement made by the minister, Vibert Belle said the GPTA was not providing the desired quality of service to the commuting public. “We have other serious issues as an association to deal with especially as it relates to the issue of touting, stopping at bus stops among others…,” he said. “We are not providing a proper service to users.”
