Police will arrest anyone enforcing illegal fare hikes – Traffic Chief to Route 42 minibus operators 

…Minibus Union open to dialogue, but condemns drivers’ unilateral fare hikes

Traffic Chief, Assistant Commissioner Mahendra Singh on Monday underscored that the Police would continue to arrest and put before the courts any minibus driver found implementing arbitrary and unlawful fare increases, in light of a Monday morning strike by the Route 42 Georgetown to Timehri bus operators demanding an increase.

Speaking with Guyana Times on Monday afternoon, Traffic Chief Singh noted that the minibus operators have only become preoccupied with striking, given the Police recent crackdown against drivers that have implemented unlawful increases.
“If they strike, that is a matter for them…we will continue to do what we are doing, which is enforcement and education. Once it becomes an issue of public order, the police will respond, and if any person breaks the law, they will be arrested, placed in the lock-ups and placed before the court,” Singh noted.
“Prior to us raising awareness among the members of the public with reference to the fare to be paid, no one was concerned about a strike. The moment we did, it became a case. The public should know what they ought to pay as a fare on the 42 route or any other route.”

Singh highlighted that any bus route desirous of implementing a fare increase must go through the lawful channel of negotiating their official increase with the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce (MoTIC) and until such time, the Police will prosecute anyone found forcing fare increases on commuters.
“Any raise in the fare where public transportation is concerned, there is a prescribed procedure that has to be followed, and the Minister is the authority who has to settle the fare and, who will decide as to the reasonable basis for the future increases. Fares are set in keeping with the law by the Minister [of Tourism, Industry and Commerce], and it has to be reasonable,” Singh said.
Over the past few months, public transportation operators along several routes have implemented arbitrary fares, victimising passengers who refuse to pay the increase. This has particularly been the case in the 42 and 32 (Georgetown to Parika) bus routes. The minibus operators are particularly targeting commuters during rush hours in the morning and afternoon.
The situation has seen some 42 bus operators demanding as much as $1000 from commuters, in a route where the legal fare is capped at $260. “Short drops”, which are set at $100, have been increased to $200 along the 42 route. On the West Demerara corridor, operators plying the Wales to Vreed-en-Hoop route have increased the fare to $300 from the legally-stipulated $200 fare. Some charge commuters as much as $500.
Following reports of this practice, last Thursday the Guyana Police Force (GPF) issued a statement reminding commuters of the current fare structures for the various routes, and called on passengers to report any minibus operator implementing increases.
“Strict, strict enforcement measures are being implemented to address reports of overcharging of passengers, particularly along key routes, notably Georgetown to Parika (Route 32) and Georgetown to Timehri (Route 42)… necessary actions will be taken against non-compliant minibus operators. In addition, mandatory stops will be conducted in keeping with the traffic department community relations to ensure passengers are not abused or exploited, and bus operators are compliant with the law,” the Police said in the statement.
The statement included spreadsheets identifying the legal fares for the various bus routes and destinations. The Police also called on commuters to report errant drivers
“At all times passengers are urged to know the official fees for their route and to report any incident of overcharging to the nearest police station, the 911 emergency system or via WhatsApp hotline at Traffic Headquarters 592-620-6713,” the Police said.

Denounced
Meanwhile, United Minibus Union (UMU) President Eon Andrews denounced the arbitrary fare increases as “ridiculous”, but noted that the union was open to meeting with the minibus operators and advocating on their behalf. However, he decried the situation where the minibus drivers only turn to the union in their hour of need.
The UMU President said it was not until he saw the Police statement that he even became aware that the minibus operators had begun to implement increases .
“I don’t even know they had a strike. I heard, and saw on social media about reverting back to regular pricing, but I was never aware of any increase in the bus fares since 2018, when it would’ve been negotiated,” Andrews said.
According to Andrews, the Union cannot sanction arbitrary and unfair increases.
“It is difficult for a responsible union to demand consumers pay those increases. Those ridiculous increases that I’ve heard they’ve been asking. Most of these passengers are barely making minimum wage; they cannot afford to pay any of that,” Andrews noted.
In 2018, Andrews had met with the MoTIC and negotiated the most recent fare increase, while also organising training and the publishing of a “Minibus Code of Conduct”. Andrews had hopes of continuous engagement with the drivers and conductors to improve the quality in the industry. However, Andrews said once the drivers got what they wanted, they deserted the Union.
Now that they have found themselves in the crosshairs with the Police, the minibus operators are ready to crawl back to the Union to ask for help once again.
“A lot of these persons when they get themselves involved with the Police or these instances where they’re looking to get an increase they suddenly become interested in the Union. They can have a bus today, join the Union, get what they want, then go on their way next week. There’s nothing we can do. We do not have the power to enforce or do certain things,” Andrews noted.
The UMU is an informal and purely voluntary organisation, notwithstanding being the only umbrella organisation recognised by the Ministry to negotiate on behalf of the drivers. According to Andrews, while efforts are often made to create continuous engagement between the drivers and the Union, the drivers do not feel a need for the Union when they feel that they can get away with deviant behaviour.
“A lot of those guys in the 42 [Route] had joined the Union, but they were having such a field day of just tormenting and disrespecting passengers that they didn’t expect it would be coming. I got a call yesterday from somebody who identified themselves as a Timehri driver and they would like to join the Union. We can listen to them and we do not discourage membership,” Andrews noted.
“Before you couldn’t get a bus off the road [to come to a meeting]. When you call a meeting, they never come off the road. They’re looking after money, so now all of them will come off the road. It’s a culture of greed and indiscipline. That is the culture of the sector.”
According to Andrews, the Union will try to mobilise an engagement later this week, and look into the possibility of once again negotiating a meeting with the MoTIC on behalf of the drivers.
“I do have to listen to them. I want to hear what they are saying. I can always ask to reach the Ministry.  I can speak to the drivers and advise them on the steps if they would agree. I’m sure they would agree, because in these panic situations they would agree to anything,” he said.