The United Minibus Union (UMU) yesterday said that they have it is determined to go to court if government unilaterally puts minibus fare-setting in the hands of the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), even as talks collapsed over whether commuters should pay more.
The United Minibus Union (UMU) yesterday said that they have it is determined to go to court if government unilaterally puts minibus fare-setting in the hands of the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), even as talks collapsed over whether commuters should pay more.
“We will go to court. We will seek the legal course. We’ll have lawyers check out where we can defend it,” UMU President Eon Andrews to reporters yesterday afternoon
He said the one hour of talks between his delegation and Commerce Minister, Irfaan Ali “broke down” over government’s demand that most city fares remain at GUY$60 per drop instead of GUY$80 once the price of fuel remains at below GUY$1,000 per gallon.
“The United Minibus Union refused to agree to the proposed outlines by the Ministry stating clearly that they are not prepared to come under the Public Utilities Commission and revert to original fares,” said the Commerce Ministry in a statement.
At the same time, government told commuters across Guyana not to pay higher fares “because these cannot be justified.” The issue of higher bus fares has raised its head again because Kitty-Campbelville Route 40 and 48 buses have now begun charging GUY$80 one year after the other routes had hiked their fares.
The UMU boss dismissed calls for minibuses to be regulated by the PUC, saying that to do so would be a backward step because “it would contravene the free market laws of our country.”
“If there were three or four companies that decided that they ought to get together to have some control through the PUC – so be it but not our members because they are individuals that own buses here,” added Andrews.
Instead, the UMU wants to negotiate concessions and fuel prices being charged by all suppliers with the Commerce Minister.
Though the talks did not yield any positive outcome, Andrews welcomed the fact that government engaged the UMU, a legally registered trade union, for the first time.
“We are open for talks. We think it was a good thing because what is important here is that all of a sudden there is the desire for dialogue- we’ve tried for years- and that means that something is moving in the right direction,” he said.
The Government had hoped to meet next month to evaluate progress on integrating the minibus service under the PUC and further work out institutional arrangements under which public transportation would be managed and regulated in future.
