BUS OPERATOR PROTESTS SUSPENSION OF ROAD SERVICE PERMITS
November 18, 2009
Public transportation has long been an incurable migraine that both commuters and regulatory bodies seem to grapple with constantly. When a solution is arrived at in one corner of the country another happens to appear elsewhere. For the past several weeks it has been sheer chaos along the Belize City - Ladyville route as buses compete fiercely with other companies for runs in that area. The situation, over time, escalated to physical confrontations, suspended runs and a court injunction. Initially there were only three bus lines, one course, and an entire community to service. However, the many squabbles between those companies have seen another player entering the arena informally. That’s partially the problem the transport system is currently facing and while that department’s minister made his round in the media this morning the owner and employees of Flores Bus Service picketed the UDP Secretariat for what they’re calling victimization. Flores along with Skai and Ramos bus companies shuttle commuters to and from Ladyville daily. It’s owner Alton Flores says that the head of department within the ministry pays no attention to the situation on the ground.
Alton Flores; Owner, Flores Bus Service
“We have [a] structural problem. That structural problem [is] people at the top aren’t listening to those at the bottom. If they listen to [those] who’re at the bottom feeling it and they act [then] we could work with them. But they don’t want to work with us, they have a favored few. I’m not ashamed to say it they have Skai’s right there. Mrs. Saldivar doesn’t listen to me but she gets one phone call from her…because her kid’s father, I don’t know if it’s the first or second but she has kids for one of the employees at Skai’s; one of the managers at Skai’s. So he can call her at anytime and she reacts.”
It’s a bold accusation; one that a commuter in support of Flores says lends itself to favoritism and conflict of interest.
Commuter
“It seems like whenever Skai’s gets in an issue with any of the other bus services it seems as though they don’t get put of the run although the member of the transport board got on the radio and said to the public [that] as soon as they find a replacement for Skai’s that Skai’s would be out of the business. Now the thing is that people have to commute from Ladyville, you have a lot of people living in Ladyville, Lord’s Bank, the whole area and we need the three bus service. We don’t need two. We need better scheduling from the Department of Transport because it seems like three conflicts happened because they have Flores, Skai and Ramos running and then each one gets into a conflict because the time schedule to get from Belize City to Ladyville you can’t do it in forty-five minutes during rush hour. So during the rush hour time you have a lot of conflicts between the drivers running on each other’s time because they just can’t make it in the time.”
The lack of proper scheduling has been cited as another reason for the current problem as individual bus runs keep overlapping with each other. According to Minister of Transport Melvin Hulse he does not oversee the day to day functions of the Transport Department.
Melvin Hulse; Minister of Transport
“I do not micromanage nor run and that is why you get people but I suspect from what I understand from the caller this morning that his license, his license may not and the thing is you’d need to talk to John Flowers who is the chairman of the board or the commissioner. But I think the board is the appropriate place because no license was cancelled. All license expired in October so if he does not have a license to re-run that means it simply was not renewed. He served out his term to completion and if it was not renewed then what needs to be done is that he needs to view and see if they were providing service to the people in a safe manner.”
On the contrary Flores says that since the minister doesn’t interfere with the Transport Board that inaction gives rise to what is currently happening.
Alton Flores
“Since he doesn’t micromanage let him answer these questions. How did Skai’s get a permit and they never had any bus? How did Ramos get a permit and they never had any bus, since he doesn’t micromanage? He micromanages! It’s he who sent Ramos because Ramos said so. Ramos says he campaigned for Hulse and that he would get the Ladyville run. He said so out of his mouth. Ramos’ permit had been revoked and he’s still running. What does revoke mean? That you could run look like.”
That’s another accusation being made against the Minister. According to the commuter the fourth bus which runs with a private license plate shouldn’t be on the route. Carlos Lopez, another of Flores supporters, says the solution to the problem is simple.
Carlos Lopez; Bus Owner & Supporter
“The problem could be solved very easily. The same thing that is done on the northern route and is done on the western route whereas each person is given a slot; a slot meaning four hours. You run four hours from Ladyville and the other bus runs four hours from Belize City and that way there will be no clashes.”
Flores Bus Service recently got court approval to continue runs to Ladyville until the matter is formally resolved.
