Interim Chairman of the Association of Public Transport Operators (APTO), Morris Lee, delivering remarks.
APTO raises issues for the sector
Sat, 11/19/2016 - 12:00am
Interim Chairman of the Association of Public Transport Operators (APTO), Morris Lee is urging Minister of Transport and Works, Michael Lashley to relocate the entire fleet of Public Service Vehicles (PSVs) currently operating at the Constitution River Terminal to the old Fairchild Street market, until the construction on the terminal is completed.
He was speaking yesterday morning while delivering remarks at a ceremony marking the designation of the Constitution River Terminal and the groundbreaking for the new passenger concourse. His comments came as he lauded the Minister for rising to the occasion and executing some much needed work on the River Terminal – work which he said is more than 45 years overdue.
Lee told those in attendance that such a move is necessary to ensure that the work on the terminal can be carried out and completed without chaos, and in the shortest time possible.
Moreover, the APTO Chairman added that as solutions are sought for the River Terminal, it is important that steps are taken to create one terminal at Cheapside to accommodate the Transport Board and the PSVs. He made the suggestion as he contended that the “us and them concept” in terms of transport needs to be discarded as a matter of urgency.
Additionally, he raised the issue of the high costs associated with operating and maintaining PSVs and again called on the Government to give serious consideration to granting the sector the duty-free concessions they have requested, and that they rightly deserve. He made the point while noting that the $2 bus fares they currently charge cannot meet their needs.
“I simply want to say that the inclusion of the sector for long deserved duty-free concessions is long overdue and I want to urge the Government on the advent of our 50th anniversary of Independence to consider giving operators the duty-free concessions,” he said.
Lee also used the opportunity to send out a message to the current Government and the Opposition that the sector is eagerly awaiting their manifestos for the next general election. He said that the contents of those documents will determine who gets the support of the 10 000 strong PSV sector and he is therefore encouraging both sides to take a walk through the terminals before they “put pen to paper”. (JRT)