A decision by bus operators to discontinue operating until the deplorable condition of the Coomacka Access Road is addressed has left an estimated 250 students living at Coomacka Mines, in Region 10, unable to travel to their school, which is located outside of the community.
Stabroek News understands that the decision was made last Monday by frustrated minibus owners and operators who had grown weary of the current state of the access road.
Attempts to contact regional officials for a comment on the situation were unsuccessful, but Stabroek News understands that both Regional Chairman Renis Morian and Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson are expected to visit the area tomorrow.
One resident explained that though the strike affects everyone, it has caused more worry among the secondary school students, particularly those who are scheduled to sit the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate examinations in the not too distant future as they are unable to attend school to attend classes or submit School Based Assessments.
Nursery and primary students and even the community’s health centre are also affected by the strike as the lack of transportation into the community has prevented teachers and medical personnel from travelling to the area to carry out their duties.
“Last week, they used a ministry bus to bring in the workers, but when the teachers them had to go out back after school, they sent a pick up… So, if their buses can’t manage the road, how can they expect ours to do so?” the resident asked.
Tamika, another resident, said that everyone continues to wait on answers from the relevant authorities on whether anything will be done to address the issue. “Children are in exam class and most of them cannot go to school because of the situation; all we can do right now is wait and see what will happen,” she contended.
Meanwhile, Kenneth (only name given), a bus driver, explained that the road has been in the same deplorable state for quite some time but has gotten significantly worse over the past few months due to continuous rainfall.
“We don’t get any help up here, so we decided it was time for us to stand up for ourselves and see what’s going to happen,” the man said.
The deteriorating roads have also forced many bus operators to have to reach into their pockets more times than they appreciate to spend on maintenance and repairs to their buses.
“Every week, we got to spend money to maintain these buses; I got it easier than some people because I am my own mechanic but others does got to spend their money to have their buses looked after because of this road,” Kenneth added.
Rawlins (only name given), another bus driver, told Stabroek News that though the issue was continuously raised nothing has been done to address it. And like Kenneth, he too is incensed at the constant spending of money to repair damage to his minibus as a result of the horrid state of the access road.
“I have to spend $100,000 to $160,000 to maintain my bus regularly; this has gotten out of hand and we are just trying to see if anything can be done to fix it… It’s been over a week now since we strike and we haven’t seen anything being done,” he said.
“I spoke to the relevant authorities and they made promises to visit today [yesterday] but the day come and gone and we were told that the minister and the chairman will visit on Wednesday; all we getting is promises but we are not going to work until the road is fixed,” Rawlins further contended.
Additionally, Stabroek News understands that minor works in the form of grading was done yesterday. However, rainfall throughout the day reverted the road to its previous state.
Reference was also made to the “David Granger School bus” that was gifted to the community last June and which was parked in the compound of the Mackenzie Police Station after having broken down on its first day in operation. “When they bring that big bus here to use on this road, one trip and it break down and had to be towed out… We are trying as bus operators to provide a service to the community but something has to be done; that road has to be fixed,” the bus driver related.
