Transport Minister discusses termination of Ritchie’s Bus road permits

February 13 is the absolute last day that Ritchie’s Bus Service will operate in and out of the Stann Creek District. That’s because their road service permits will not be renewed. The Ministry of Transport announced the decision to the company in January but the owners are not taking this sitting down. They’ve enlisted the help of Orson “OJ” Elrington, who told Love News on Wednesday that his clients will be seeking leave for judicial review of the department’s decision. But Minister of Transport, Rodwell Ferguson says that the company – like a number of others – have not shown their willingness to improve services. Here’s how he put it.

Rodwell Ferguson, Area Representative, Stann Creek West: “For the last two years I became the Minister responsible for transportation I came in here because I want to show you that I want to improve transportation across the country and the only way it can be done I gave these operators two years to show me that they want to make a transformation. After three years I don’t see anything. You all came to me in December and said Mr.Ferguson any new thing is happening in transport ? I told you gradually you will see it happening. Now an operator gets revoked because of discrepancies, because of buses that are not road worth, supposed they had a major accident out there with that bus ? You will come to my and say Mr.Ferguson how did you have this old bus on the road ? And you’re talking that you want change. So the change an the transformation begins now I’m sorry.”

Elrington told us also that the decision by the department appears to be one in which they want to eliminate Ritchie’s to create space for a preferred bus operator.