BUS FARES WILL REMAIN at $2 for adults and $1.50 for school children.
Minister of Transport Michael Lashley issued a resounding “no” to the proposal for a hike raised by Chairman of the Alliance of Owners of Public Transport (AOPT) Roy Raphael.
“Of course we decided that that was a no-no and also in relation to fines by the courts we also said that is a no-no,” the Minister said.
Lashley said after a marathon meeting on Friday evening with AOPT and its representatives which started around four and concluded after nine, the request for duty free concessions and a review of the fines issued by the court were also rejected.
Speaking at a service at The Church of the Holy Trinity to mark the 60th anniversary of the Barbados Transport Board Lashley said, “I cannot get involved in judicial matters. There is something called separation of powers and if they believe that the fine is too harsh, appeal from the Magistrates Court to the Court of Appeal and let the Court of Appeal decide if the fine is too large or small”.
Raphael had broached the idea of increased bus fares as well as duty free concessions citing the age of vehicles and high maintenance costs. He had suggested the increase could take the form of a scale system where persons paid according to how far they were travelling. (LK)
