BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – NOVEMBER marks two years since the death of passenger bus operator Kevin ‘Broadie’ Newman, but since then nothing much was done to protect the safety of other operators plying various routes in St. Kitts, according to President of the St. Kitts Bus Association, Dale Hodge.
In November 2014, Newman was shot multiple times in an apparent robbery at a dark spot in the Dieppe Bay area, and drivers from the three Associations that encapsulates the St. Kitts Bus Association – East, West and St. Peter’s Lines – all protested and called for new measures to be implemented.
Among the measures are improved security at the various bus parks, improved lighting at bus parks and also at the various bus stops around the island, notably at Fig Tree.
In the interim, there was increased police presence at the bus parks, but, according to Hodge, nothing more has been done since.
He pointed out that since the change in administration they have not heard any word from the Government on the initiatives they want to have implemented.
“It is worse! We have not gotten any further with anything since the previous administration exited office. Whatever was put in place was under the former administration; nothing more was done up to this point.”
Asked whether or not they had approached the Government to have their requests implemented, Hodge answered in the affirmative but explained that a number of their requests have fallen through due to the non-existence of a Transport Board.
In criticizing the Government, Hodge said the only thing that was done is an increase in the number of buses on the roadways and nothing else.
“No additional security or any factors to that case was implemented other than overcrowding the road with buses and ignoring our request. Not that we want or request a board, but please allow the law to supersede everybody’s ego.”
Speaking about the lights at various bus stops around the island, Hodge stressed that it is not only for the safety of drivers who operate in the evening hours but also for passengers entering and existing vehicles.
He stated that they all had agreed not to accept any note higher than $20, adding that “it is a business policy to which we cannot ask government to make it law but rather a policy, because, like other entities that would not accept US$100, it is our policy not to accept anything higher than Ec$20”.
“We have a right to enforce that policy on our buses. That is our duty but people were ticked off in terms of catching bus, and we were well aware of that.”
Following Newman’s death, police had arrested Fitzroy ‘Big Man’ Challenger and charged him with the capital offence.
