BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – FOLLOWING the shooting death of Kevin ‘Broadie’ Newman some two ago, passenger bus operators seem to be in disarray in their effort to have the Government accede to their request for the implementation of safety measures for themselves and commuters.
This assumption comes in the wake of a breakaway faction in the St. Kitts Bus Association (SKBA) as another governing body was recently formed to address the concerns and interest of passenger bus operators.
Since Newman’s death in 2014, the SKBA had called for the installation of lights and increased security presence at strategic locations on the island, including bus parks.
According to the President of the St. Kitts Bus Association, Dale Hodge, the breakaway faction was formed by several individuals who indicated that they were unhappy with what is being done by the SKBA, as noting substantial has so far been achieved.
“There is a group of guys that formed the Sugar City Bus Association. Now I am the President of the West Line Bus Association and the St. Kitts Bus Association which govern West Lines, East Line and St. Peter’s. These new guys apparently are not satisfied with the fact that the problem doesn’t lie with our executives of the various associations, but with the Minister,” Hodge explained to SKNVibes.
When contacted recently for a comment, Minister of Public Infrastructure Hon. Ian ‘Patches’ Liburd explained that there is legislation that speaks to stakeholders being part of the Transport Board, noting that the composition of the Board include two representatives from the Bus Association.
Liburd said: “In the past there has always been the East Line and West Line Bus Associations [and] that has not changed.
“We understand that there are some independent bus drivers coming together. We understand as well that the Bus Association is not properly organized in terms of electing their president and their officers. These are issues that they would have to discuss internally, but we are being guided by a legislation and the legislation speaks to two bus associations and we have invited them to be part of the board. So too it has spoken to two taxi associations.”
The SKBA President opined that if the Associations are looking to develop a product that suits the interest of all parties involved, they could take drafts from various associations around the region
He added: “It does not make sense that today, in 2016, you have to strike to get recognition when issues arise. You are supposed to look at it this way if you are to develop a fabric based on the bussing industry. You have to get excerpts from islands around the region that do have the same bus system; for example, that of Antigua.”
He opined that the current state of the industry, especially with those operators who utilize the Terminal, could lead to bigger problems for the country, notably the insurance industry.
With no proper system in place at the Basseterre Bus Terminal, persons who operate passenger buses in that area do not have an orderly state in which they work, Hodge pointed out, while noting that based on that many who do not “push themselves” would not make a daily living and/or be able to make their payments to the bank.
