Dear Editor,
I wish to give my advice to the gentlemen of the Guyana Minibus Association on their utterances about the increase in minibus fares.
The Laws of Guyana, Chapter 51:02, Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act, Part VIIII, Section 74 states as follows:
“The Minister may, if he deems it necessary or desirable in the public interest so to do, fix the minimum or maximum fares that may be charged by any person operating a motor bus in any area or route to which section 65 (1) [requirement to have a road service licence] applies or along any specified part of a route within that area and shall cause notice thereof to be sent to the Prescribed Authority”
Under the law, the Minibus Association may increase fares unilaterally, but if the Minister intervenes and puts a cap on that fare, then that cap is final under the law, and any operator who charges in excess of such cap is in breach of his/her Road Service Licence.
Minibus operations are an important part of the national economy and have the potential to significantly affect the general populace. They therefore must be regulated in the interest of the general public.
That said, the current sharp increases in oil and food prices have served to drive up the cost of living and cost of operation of any business. This phenomenon, coupled with the length of time since the last increase in minibus fares must certainly be hurting the minibus operators.
I wish to caution that low minibus fares contribute to decreased safety in their operations, since they act as a major contributory factor to speeding and overloading in an effort to make more trips to increase revenue. They also contribute to substandard maintenance of these vehicles.
It will take an enormous amount of law enforcement, especially given the current competence of the traffic ranks, to successfully mitigate these risks.
I therefore support the request for the twenty five percent increase for the operators.
Yours faithfully,
Learie Barclay
