Drivers continue to overcrowd minibuses, hire cars
…as speedboat operators follow social distancing guidelines
Despite calls for social distancing to be practised amidst significant health threats, public transportation drivers continue to overcrowd their vehicles, ignoring signs and the impact which COVID-19 could have on the population.
Minibuses at Stabroek Market have failed to implement social distancing for the public
In recent time, the idea of social distancing has assumed great significance as cases of the novel coronavirus continue to increase in Guyana.
Government has already imposed restrictions on operators of minibuses, cars and other public transportation, directing that the number of passengers should be slashed by half.
However, even after these notices, current transportation practices in the public sector has continued as per normal.
On Wednesday, Guyana Times checked out key bus parks at the Stabroek Market and found that passengers were crammed next to each other as obtained in normal circumstances.
It was observed that many persons at the Route 44 (Mahaica) bus park did not object to this practice. While a majority of passengers adhered to the ‘four persons per seat’ rule, one woman took up her concerns with the driver.
Instead, he rebutted that they would have to increase the fare should they transport less persons per trip.
Another driver, Kissoon (only name provided) said he could not possibly reduce the load by half, but opted to three per row instead. Along with that, he said, the bus is sanitized after each trip.
“We can’t do that, cause people already not coming out to go nowhere; and remember, we making no kinda money now. If we cut down by half, that’s only about eight people. Right now, I doing 12 to make back the money, and (the conductor) wipe up and so after we done make a trip,” he explained.
Other than taxi drivers, hire car operators continued their daily activities without any changes.
Meanwhile, over at the Stabroek Wharf, water taxis have taken the social distancing initiative seriously and are mandating that passengers sit some distance away from each other. They are also reducing the number of persons they carry per trip. This was accompanied by frequent sanitization of the speedboats and limiting physical contact between operators and passengers.
