Route 50 (Georgetown to Rosignol) minibus operators took strike action yesterday to voice their concerns about not being allowed to transport passengers across the Berbice River Bridge, following the recent introduction of the Route 56 zone.
Many schoolchildren and workers were forced to return home yesterday morning as they could not access transportation even though a few buses still continued to work. The drivers converged first at the Bath Public Road and then proceeded to Belladrum and Profitt, close to the Abary Bridge and the Letter ‘T’ Estate at Mahaicony.
Police were out in full force, trying to maintain law and order. At Belladrum, Traffic Chief of ‘B’ Division Kevin Adonis told Stabroek News that initially they had received reports that the protesters had blocked the road but it was cleared by the time he got there. He said the protest had nothing to do with the police and that the drivers should raise their concerns with the relevant authorities.
The Road Service Licence of the Route 50 operators was amended to stop at the Rosignol Stelling, while Route 63 has been amended to stop at the New Amsterdam Ferry Stelling, as a result of the introduction of the new Route 56. Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee and Minister of Transport and Hydraulics Robeson Benn had met with the members of the Berbice Minibus Association in June to discuss the new route, which was proposed by operators to replace the ferry service from Rosignol to Georgetown and to prevent zone trespassing by minibuses plying other routes.
Earlier yesterday, the protesters tried unsuccessfully to prevent other buses from plying their trade by forcing them to offload passengers. This newspaper learnt that late yesterday afternoon at Onverwagt, the protesters slashed the tyres of a minibus that was transporting passengers who were then left stranded on the road for a long time.
While the protest was in action at Belladrum, a few of the protesters left quietly and placed tree trunks across the road in the vicinity of the Abary Bridge. One driver later removed the wood to pass and was verbally abused by the protesters. Within minutes though, police arrived and calmly removed the obstacles and the protesters quickly dispersed.
The operators told the media that the new arrangement has resulted in them driving their buses home empty on several occasions. “When we do get the work, all we make at the end of the day is enough money to put gas in the bus to go out the next day. This is very hard on us,” they lamented. They said too that because the Route 50 buses can no longer go across the bridge (without a pass from the police), they sometimes return empty from Georgetown.
Secretary of the Route 50 Minibus Association, Joseph Moore showed Stabroek News a letter that was sent to Minister of Public Works Robeson Benn, stating that 80% of the travelling public crossed the river. It said that when the passengers are dropped off at the bridge and have to wait on other vehicles to take them across they refuse to pay the required fare. The passengers are also afraid of losing their bags in this arrangement. Among the other issues highlighted was that a lot of buses are being affected, since “85% of the Route 50 minibuses ply the Georgetown route” while the other 15% run “short drops.”
The letter stated too that, “Private hire cars are taking away the limited number of passengers…” It also appealed to the minister to allow them to “continue to operate as our road service licenses entail.”
One driver said he only worked two days last week and he is finding it difficult to earn the money to pay the instalments for his bus and to maintain his children.
They pointed out that just after the bridge was built they were allowed to go across to drop off and solicit Georgetown passengers.
Now, they said, they have to wait until the Route 56 minibuses bring the long distance passengers to Rosignol and then wait until they get a “load” to take to town.
According to them, in most cases the passenger would prefer to join the cars or Route 63 ‘A’ buses, instead of enduring long wait in the Route 56 and then the Route 50 buses. Further, they said the Route 63 ‘A’ buses were only supposed to work “express” from Molsen Creek to Georgetown but they would still load their buses at Palmyra and pick up passengers along the way. The operators said they are frustrated with the inefficient system which they claim is in “chaos.” They also called for a park to be established along the D’ Edward road.
The drivers said they wanted to see either Minister Benn or Minister Rohee to discuss the issues and will continue their protest today.
