Linden senior citizens feeling brunt of transport increases

By Utamu Belle

With the current increase in transportation costs in Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), due to the COVID-19 pandemic, senior citizens say they are feeling the brunt of the increase. As a result of social distancing guidelines, which were implemented to prevent the spread of the virus, drivers said they were forced to increase the fares due to the limited number of passengers they are now authorised to carry. In Linden, one of the main means of travelling with public transportation is by use of the “$100 cars” which ply the Amelia’s Ward and Wisroc or Block 22 routes.

The cost to travel, which was $100, has now been increased by $200-$400 in some cases.
This publication spoke to numerous passengers who use public transportation daily and some explained that the fare increases are “unreasonable”.
Pensioner Winslow Mercurious told this publication that the increases are too steep, pointing out that in some cases, the public transport operators are charging the increased prices without limiting the number of passengers.
“I don’t see the reason that the fare gone up so high and fuel price gone down…people taking advantage of the situation and it’s not fair. They’re taking advantage of people up here. Some people ain’t working. Some people got to walk and go ‘til in the Ward because they can’t afford it,” the pensioner explained.
Another pensioner, Shirley Williams, said she believes the fares should be lowered for senior citizens.

“You got to pay $200 to go and $200 to come. All like this morning (Monday) I had to go to Telecoms and is two sets of $200 I had to pay. to go and to come back. It is too much for seniors like me,” she stressed.
Pensioner Jacob Saul, who noted that he travels from Amelia’s Ward to Central Mackenzie almost daily, also explained that the costs are too hefty for him.
Meanwhile, a passenger who travels the Amelia’s Ward route who is not a pensioner said she believes that the increases were necessary given the situation with the pandemic. She opined that in cases where passengers cannot afford the increases, they should explain the situation to the drivers.

Another passenger, who gave her name only as Loverne, said she refuses to travel in cars where social distancing is not being practised. For this reason, she explained she does not have an issue with paying the increases.
Meanwhile, Linden Mayor Waneka Arrindell recently shared concerns as it relates to the issue as she cited unconfirmed reports indicating that in some cases the fares have doubled or increased by at least 50 per cent. In light of this, Arrindell said, she had spoken to the heads of the minibus and car associations in an effort to strike a balance.
“We have got to find a way to sit down with these drivers. Everybody is in this pandemic together. So we have to see how we could not (put) strain (on) the populace. So that is what we’re looking at”, she had indicated.
Arrindell has also urged persons to limit their movements at this time, as she highlighted that there is still too much movement by Lindeners during the day.