by Kymberli Whittaker
On August 20, 2013, The Generation 2000 (G2K) issued a press
release stating its opposition to the recently announced fare increases for the
Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) buses. Their President Floyd Green made some salient
points regarding mismanagement of funds,
pillaging of pockets of those who can least afford it, etc., all of which is
aimed at looking about the interests of those at the lower end of the
economical strata. Admirable to say the least.
What is not admirable is the hard and fast stance taken by
the JLP. They are not asking for the increase to reduced, but instead they want
no increase at all. This I cannot reconcile.
I will compare JUTC to a pretty house with a weak foundation at its base, and
no furniture on the inside. Commuters are able to ride around daily in luxury
in Air Condition, sitting in comfortable seats with music wafting through the
speakers to provide ambiance. It looks nice on the outside, but an important
question to ask is, how is this being funded?
It is important to note that drivers of their own personal
vehicles in these harsh economic times, have to wind their windows down, wishing they could turn on the A/C, and when
they go to the gas pumps they state “$500
gas please” from the pump attendant with
no shame. Times were hard last year, and it will be even harder this year. People have accepted it.
JUTC is not making a profit, they are not even breaking even
as $10,000,000.00 a day is lost just to keep the company up and running. This
is tax payers money not JUTC’s money that is flushed daily as we travel up and
down in A/C on buses blazoned in the National colours of our flag.
As it stands now, the government has reduced the fee for
Senior Citizens to $40 from $60, as they deal with the backlash, but as a
people we need to look and dissect that there is a huge problem with how the
JUTC is being run. Just recently in
April of this year, the JUTC announced that they would be adding 69 new Volvo
buses to its fleet by month end, providing an additional 3,657 passenger seats,
also the JUTC imported 18 containers of parts since last year, in an effort to
have adequate parts to maintain all its buses. These things do not pay for
themselves, and we should have seen the fare increase coming from a mile away.
Is the JUTC operating above their means? Of course. But that
is not the concern. We weren’t complaining when money was being spent to
acquire the new buses. We dont complain when we take the buses and do not pay toll individually when travelling from Portmore. Yet the toll has to be paid with the JUTC owing millions for its daily travel. I won’t lie, it is being run like a business, for example we saw less licences being granted to outsiders in the transportation sector in order to give the JUTC more market share, but the hemorrhage is still continuing.
PROTESTS
This is not Ferguson. Persons and Civil Society Groups have
been invited to protest at a mass rally with the JLP and some have declined.
Andrew Holness, the JLP Party Leader has even stated that even if he is the
only one in Half Way Tree he will be standing up against it.
This is Jamaica, no lives have been lost, and we can see that even when lives are lost, we are quick to wrath but slow to action. I caution that if the party
has been encouraged by the support of the protestors of the Professor who
marched on his behalf, most likely they won’t be out because it is quite likely
that they drive. As it stands now the $20 increase will not draw fire and
brimstone from the masses. Unfortunately I do not believe that this is the
proverbial straw which broke the camel’s back.
I went on a JUTC bus today, and persons were already trying
to pay the $120 only to be told “Not today”. Persons have already started
budgeting for it, and many will mumble and grumble but will not question it.
The protestors in Ferguson are passionate about the issue
and want to see change. In other words, “dem tired and fed up”. As a people we
are not tired and fed up ,because we are not asking the right questions. This
problem is not one that mushroomed overnight. Why is it just coming to the fore?
Are they accountable to no-one? We are
not keeping abreast of the issues while this company is being run into the ground. From what I can see looking in, an effort is being made now to salvage what they can (let us pretend to ignore the IMF agreement influencing most decisions nowadays), and as a people we have
to be reasonable in our demands.
If protesting I would protest for accountability and a plan
to be presented to the public to stop the hemorrhage of funds, cause as stated
by the JUTC Chairman, The Reverend Dr Garnett Roper “if the provision of spare
parts and maintenance of the buses were taken into consideration, it would cost
the JUTC management an estimated $560 per ride to keep the units on the road”. I would not protest over the increase, because it is minimal when placed into the proper context.
Remember I said it, This $20 is only the beginning.
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