Post by montegobayjobs on Oct 7, 2020 13:08:36 GMT
President of the Transport Operators Development Sustainable Services, Egeton Newman, says public transport operators are currently losing 65 per cent of their daily income.
"We are in serious trouble and would like to get over this. The banks and the loan sharks right across this country are having a field day as we speak, taking away our units because we are over two or three months non-payments. What we would like to see is that the Government have a discussion with the banks to see how they can help us to refinance our loans," he said.
Newman said the current COVID-19 pandemic has been trampling the livelihood of the taxi operators, especially with the closure of schools and the reduction in work hours.
"Except for those operators who are considered 'kings of the road' who will go to any length to make an extra dollar and who are giving the sector a bad name, what is happening is unbelievable. The transport sector has over 1,000 members and we were promised a COVID assistance grant of at least $25,000 at the minimum and today we are still waiting," he said.
He said he is aware that the relevant government bodies will meet to discuss what is preventing the grant and is hoping that the proposed supplementary budget will work in their favour.
At 11 a.m. yesterday, taxi operator Roderick 'Bully' Barnes said he was yet to make $2,000 from the Half-Way Tree to Three Miles route.
"Nutten nah gwan and it hard to tell di boss dat. Da likkle $2,000 ya is not even quarter of what di boss suppose to get. Normally mi give him $10,000 a day and mi would make dat long time and a hussle my own, but now mi nah see no passenger. The taxi stand full up a driver ya now who a look it. Normally mi could a use all a loader man but dem a suffer now cuz we a load di car we self cuz we can't manage to pay dem," he said. Another cabbie, Nigel Swift, says he currently spends less hours on the road in order to save gas.
"It just no make no sense a drive up and down from Jones Town to downtown and all a carry two passengers a trip. The passenger dem miserable so dem nah go wah sit down fi all 45 minutes to wait until the vehicle load," he said. "Mi go out from six to about nine in the morning then mi go back a mi yard and all sleep until about 2 o'clock before mi go back out. Mi have mi own vehicle but gas expensive bad. It rough a road."
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He said he is aware that the relevant government bodies will meet to discuss what is preventing the grant and is hoping that the proposed supplementary budget will work in their favour.
At 11 a.m. yesterday, taxi operator Roderick 'Bully' Barnes said he was yet to make $2,000 from the Half-Way Tree to Three Miles route.
"Nutten nah gwan and it hard to tell di boss dat. Da likkle $2,000 ya is not even quarter of what di boss suppose to get. Normally mi give him $10,000 a day and mi would make dat long time and a hussle my own, but now mi nah see no passenger. The taxi stand full up a driver ya now who a look it. Normally mi could a use all a loader man but dem a suffer now cuz we a load di car we self cuz we can't manage to pay dem," he said. Another cabbie, Nigel Swift, says he currently spends less hours on the road in order to save gas.
"It just no make no sense a drive up and down from Jones Town to downtown and all a carry two passengers a trip. The passenger dem miserable so dem nah go wah sit down fi all 45 minutes to wait until the vehicle load," he said. "Mi go out from six to about nine in the morning then mi go back a mi yard and all sleep until about 2 o'clock before mi go back out. Mi have mi own vehicle but gas expensive bad. It rough a road."
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