BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – DIGICEL, ‘the bigger, better network’, has once again stepped out to lend its support to the community by donating 20 bus stop signs to the Traffic Department.
DIGICEL’s Marketing Manager Marsha Chatterjee said that for a long time persons have seen the public transport buses stopping anywhere.
“Although one would say it’s a part of our culture, it has to change. The initiative by Digicel in implementing the bus stop signs is for public passengers to come off and to enter a bus in designated areas.
“We are embarking on a project that will enhance pedestrians and the lives of motorists as well. We do see the need to implement bus stop signs and have it incorporated into the culture,” she said.
Inspector Cromwell Henry of the St. Kitts Traffic Department thanked the company, calling it a “kind gesture” and said that bus stop signs were an area they were always concerned about.
“We have received numerous complaints from members of the public, drivers in particular, who are inconvenienced by buses stopping every few feet. In one of our traffic programmes we made the appeal for the signs and Digicel came forward the following day and offered to assist,” he said.
Henry said they have had legislation in place that would enable the Traffic Department to enforce that buses only stop at designated areas.
He mentioned that areas in Basseterre have already been designated as bus stops and that these decisions were made with the input of the three Bus Associations - East, West and St. Peters - to identify appropriate areas for the bus stops.
The only setback they have faced, Henry said, is having signs to display at the areas as they have identified 20 in Basseterre and they would need to place the signs, doubling them at each location, to accommodate buses that are going into Basseterre or out of Basseterre.
“So we’ll need 40 signs in all. DIGICEL has delivered 20 so we’re still in need of 20 more signs. If there are any good corporate citizens out there who are willing to come onboard with this project, we will greatly appreciate any assistance as we hope to have the project completed shortly.
“As soon as we get more signs we will have them mounted. So, on behalf of the Commissioner of Police and the Traffic Department, we want to thank DIGICEL for the kind gesture and we really look forward to continued support.”
Digicel’s Marketing Manager said that the signs were crafted by Carib Crafts and Graphics and thanked Dennis Phillip, whom she noted worked on the project and made sure the signs were made to the specifications of the laws of St. Kitts and Nevis.
Traffic Warden Coretta Mills was also present and said that the bus stop signs would be very beneficial.
