Minibus Union wants 5-year hold on the importation of buses

President of the United Minibus Union (UMU), Eon Andrews, has among other things, made a proposal to Government for a five-year temporary ban on the importation of minibuses, since he believes it will minimise the amount of buses on the various parks.

The five-year moratorium that the UMU’s President has proposed to the Business Minister was submitted on Monday, along with several other suggestions, with the effort of ironing out the kinks in the minibus and transportation sector at large.
Andrews said on Thursday, during an exclusive interview with Guyana Times that in addition to a fare increase, “I have also asked that if it is possible, I know it’s a free market system and people can do what they think they like, whereby they can probably have a moratorium on the importation of vehicles. There are too many minibuses in this country”.
The head of the Union pointed out that he knows for a fact that there are too many buses that traverse the roads, although some persons may be of the view that there is a shortage.
While noting that there is an absolute need for the introduction of the temporary ban, Andrews explained to Guyana Times that the initiative should have been introduced a long time ago.
When the Union head was questioned if he was concerned that the new initiative would have a negative impact on the transportation sector, he said it was not a concern since he knows for a fact that all the minibus zones are overcrowded.
According to him, statistics from a survey conducted by the Union allows him to access the necessary information such as how many buses are in each route, the fares, among other information.
Andrews said he is quite sure that the bus parks are overcrowded as he explained, “It’s a lot of buses, but a lot of them don’t work beyond five o’clock… which means that when they are off the road, it appears to have a shortage of transportation services… there are too much buses in this country and every month they seem to be importing one”.
It is against this backdrop that the Union has made its proposal for the control on the importation of minibuses.
Along with this proposal, the UMU has also requested a structured fare increase of $20 for short drop operators and $40 for longer distances. The Union also hopes to have the ban on used tyres lifted for multiple reasons, which were explained.
The fare increase proposal comes at a time when minibus and taxi drivers have been protesting and even striking about the climbing gas prices.
Desperate to get the attention they need, drivers blocked the Vryheid’s Lust access road along the East Coast railway embankment. Several tyres were burnt, and an old car was set on fire to garner the attention needed, with the hope of having the fuel crisis addressed.
Several protests were also organised by drivers of the various routes subsequent to this incident. Gas station prices for fuel have increased rapidly, from $215 per litre to prices ranging from $230 to $250 per litre.