Route 45 bus operators are protesting against the deplorable condition of their park. The park is located to the south of the KFC location, Stabroek Square.
When Stabroek News visited the bus park on Tuesday, bus operators told this newspaper that the park is being desecrated by garbage because vendors in the environs choose to dispose of their refuse at the exit of the park. However, in recent weeks this problem has escalated since the vendors have begun to pile up their garbage inside the park itself.
One infuriated bus driver blamed the City Council for the problem. He said that the vendors were paying the municipality their dues but that the City Council has not provided the vendors with facilities to properly dispose of their garbage and consequently this widespread dumping occurs. The man said that even after the garbage had been dumped, the city council workers very often never cleared it. Consequently it was often left to them (the minibus operators) to get the garbage removed. He emphasized that it was not only the bus operators that were being affected but also the commuters.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the General Minibus Union for Route 45 buses, Eon Andrews said that the garbage problem is an ongoing one and has continued in spite of his repeated complaints to the City Council and to the other authorities. According to him, the bus operators had to recently fork out $4,000 to get the garbage removed from the area. The problems affecting the bus operators in the park do not stop there, this newspaper was told. According to Andrews several buses refuse to come into the park and join the queue and rather stay outside and gather passengers. He said that this is done in spite of the police presence. The Chairman said that he is aware that these bus operators often bribe these police officers.
Andrews further said that once they entered the park, they would be given a ticket with a number and according to the number the buses are filled. But some of these buses when they enter the park do not adhere to the order and this causes chaos. As a result of this, Andrews called for a more effective police presence in the area.
When Stabroek News contacted Royston King, the Public Relations Officer for the municipality, he said that the Council is aware of the problem and has been addressing it as best as they can. He said that over the past weeks there has been a build-up of refuse in the area particularly as more commercial activity has been ongoing due to the festive season. According to him, the council collects refuse from the area every evening and says that the problem continues during the day.
King said that the Council has placed litter receptacles along Water Street and said that the City Constabulary and the Waste Management Officers have been asked to ensure that each vendor equipped themselves with a receptacle near to their stall. He said that this has not worked as the Municipality would have liked.
The PRO appealed for the vendors and citizens to be responsible when disposing of their garbage.
