Latest update April 25th, 2024 12:59 AM
Mar 16, 2018 Letters
DEAR EDITOR,
I must commend the Minister of Public Security and the Guyana Police Force on their recent stand against graphic designs on public transportation, namely minibuses. This was really long overdue, but better late than never.
This action by the GPF and the Minister has left the public with mixed emotions.
These buses are imported with a solid colour, be it white, pink, black, etc. Most times, they are imported in the white colour. However, upon arrival, the owners spend 200-350K in ‘wrapping’ obscure graphics on their entire vehicle, knowing fully well that it is against the Motor Vehicles & Road Traffic Act.
Owners of these buses have been getting away with this lawlessness for years; it has reached an epic proportion of where almost 80% of minibuses are covered in multi-coloured wraps.
As usual, when trying to re-enforce a law that has been in existence for years, lawless citizens will always object, because they have gotten accustomed to the free-for-all in this country when it comes to public transportation. Recent objections I have been hearing on this recent development are as follows:
‘’De buses dem looking nice and beautiful. Guyana is a tropical country and the nice designs suit the Caribbean.”
“Is de people dem buses and is dem money spend, so the police or the minista shouldn’t tell them what to do”
“Young people like the buses dem so, it is easy to identify the special buses from a distance”
“If it was against the law, why dem police give dem fitness?”
“Wha dem police should focus on, dem don’t focus on like de crime”
“You know is nuff money dem poor minibus men got to spend to spray over dem bus”
“Granger want all the buses dem in green”
My response to these critics are as follows:
1. Yes, I agree, the designs are really creative and beautiful, but the law is the law. Not because something is beautiful we should look past the fact that it’s against the law. Whosoever wants those designs on their buses needs to put their buses in private for family or chartered use.
2. Agreed, these buses are privately-owned by citizens, however at the end of the day these buses are public transportation and the GPF is only looking out for the best interest of the citizens and trying to enforce the law. Likewise, if all taxis need to be in yellow then they need to be painted in yellow, because they are public transportation. Owning a vehicle that operates for the travelling public does not give you the right to modify it to your liking. You have to think about the comfort of the travelling public as well as abide by the law.
3. Young people, particularly schoolchildren need to think more about their own future than which is a ‘boom boom’ bus, shine bus or ‘cork ball’. You are the future of this country and if you cannot insist on the law being upheld, then God be with us.
4. Exactly, why did the police issue fitness to errant bus owners? Most vehicle owners, not just for minibuses, pass a couple of thousand to corrupt officers for fitness without having their vehicles inspected. This is one of the major reasons there is so much lawlessness on our roadways today.
Owners of motor vehicles and corrupt officers should both feel the full brunt of the law. However, I put most of the blame on vehicle owners for encouraging the corruption in the traffic department. If your vehicle is in order, I don’t see an issue with you presenting your vehicle for inspection to get fitness. Do nothing; fear nothing.
5. People fail to realise that the traffic department of the GPF has a different mandate from the Crime Branch. The traffic dept. has to uphold the law and order on our roadways. Without police on our roadways, the lawlessness will escalate to such a point where there is no return.
6. The cost for wrapping a minibus is between $200K-400K or even more, depending on the design. Were these ‘poor’ owners in their full senses when they invested that money in beautifying their minibuses, despite knowing these graphics are against the law? Whose fault is it now? Definitely not the police or the Minister. You pay to learn.
7. There is blame aimed at the Government about this current situation. But is it this Government’s fault for trying to reinforce the law that has been there for years regularizing public transportation? If the past administrations, for some reason or the other, did not impose the law, shouldn’t we as law-abiding citizens be happy to know that the current administration is trying its best in making things right within the public transportation system? Furthermore, there was no press conference by the current administration stating that these minibuses need to be painted in green. Malicious individuals are spreading false rumours. I wonder what their motives are.
Whenever, the previous or current administration tries to re-impose any law from the public transportation act, minibus drivers always hold the public at ransom by striking. Those who cannot afford taxis or their own vehicle are left stranded on roadways.
If these lawless bus owners insist on holding the public at ransom because of their idiotic demands, I suggest the Govt. put in place the big bus system.
In closing, I wish to thank to GPF on trying to maintain law and order on the roadways. I would also like to recommend that they look into loud music in both public and private vehicles, which is a nuisance to almost everyone, overloading in minibuses, super-bright headlights/ light bars on vehicles that are dangerous to other drivers in the nights, etc.
Regards,
Law-abiding citizen
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