President of the United Minibus Association, Eon Andrews said recent pronouncements by Works Minister, Juan Edghill about the increase in minibus fares is outside his remit, and argued that only Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister, Susan Rodrigues can pronounce on the matter.
During an appearance on the Road Safety and You programme on NCN, Mr. Andrews agreed that any fare increase at this time must examined in a structured way with a host of factors to be considered.
He does not support any steep increase in minibus fares.
However, he said the situation has reached a point where there needs to be a serious Government intervention to protect both minibus operators and the consumers.
“I am saying that any responsible government has the duty to protect its citizens, you have to protect these poor people and you have to make these bus people comfortable which means that, the ball is in the government and we are prepared to work with what is. I have written to Minister Rodrigues, and we hoping for a quick reply, but I saw Minister say that nobody can’t raise fare and he has been talking about that but it has never been under his remit,” Andrews said.
Additionally, Mr. Andrews, said a steep increase in minibus fares would not be in keeping with negotiations. He said that the increase in gas prices has not been used in the negotiating of a fare increase.
Mr. Andrews said while operational costs have indeed increased for minibus operators, and there is a need for a fare increase, several factors have to be taken into account.
“Bus persons cannot expect to have a big increase because it is not in keeping with negotiations and I have heard this thing about gas, which is an unstable thing and when the gas go down these operators never carry down their fares as long as they could get away with it, so its operational cost, where a lot of things gone up but this can be addressed if we have the businessmen on board, they are the importers but nobody seem to want to ranker the businessmen,” Andrews said.
Andrews Acknowledged, that minibus operators also have their own families depending on them, but he noted the need for a structured increase.
“But as long as there is any increase, it is always passed down to the consumers and what is bad about is that between 2018 up to until recently I don’t think gas has gone above $225 and the buses were having a field day, I have seen instances where buses would work late and jack-up the fares because people are desperate,” Andrews stated.
He said the last approved fare increase was in 2018.
Mini-bus owners and operators have been pressing for an increase even as the Government has been pushing against the increase. Some have moved ahead with the increases in the fare structure, even as their passengers demand better fares and better service.
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