Submitted by Old Onions bag
“Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage”
Macbeth
How often we see things that causes us to shrill with disgust and disbelief, and review the situation for reasons to explain the unfortunate occurrence, in an effort to ascertain why. The majority of times, the verdict, is usually the same. Why would someone seek to cause such confusion knowingly (due to lack of intelligence, education or both) to the discomfort, harm and or inconsideration to the other party, and the general population at large?
We often consider the culprits character and upbringing as a forerunner to his behaviour, and a quick diagnose too. This analysis though relative and a bit superficial, will go no further, but offer an immediate sense of calm. Beats slowly counting from 1 to 10, the other alternative to regaining one’s composure.
The minibus men and their jig sawed organization for instance, yes, providing an essential service to the community without doubt. They been in existence now for more than twenty five years and still cannot get it right. Indiscipline within means chaos without, hence the resulting ensong… being unable to function as one coordinated body with rules and regulations for all. What would propel a conductor on one of these vehicles for instance, instruct the driver to stop, and temporarily disembark to urinate, six feet away to the side of the bus, in full view of the passengers within? To make matters worse, wipes his hands in his already dirty shorts and resumes to take fares without even as much as a hands wash? For those who know, inadequate personal hygiene and body odour is a norm for some. Forget keeping up appearances and wearing of shoes and things of business-like. You would be bused for that. With a philosophy of “you are in my world now,” fare paying passengers either learn to accept or fear getting off the vehicle, with no future pickups.
Then there are the road offenses, too numerous to mention. When they are not stopping anywhere and everywhere, without signalling, to allow passenger to embarkdisembark, there is the japonica of weaving between traffic and dangerous overtaking. Nowadays its nothing new to see a conductor jump from a slowing vehicle, to signal to oncoming traffic to stop, thereby allowing his partner (in crime) driver to carry out some road offense to their betterment and fare enrichment. One of those really large yellow minibuses was photographed on Collymore Rock driving on the side walk, in an effort to overtake a crawling 8.00 AM school morning traffic. The brazen conductor walked in front the vehicle, instructing pedestrians to get off the sidewalk, as their phallus passed. Unbelievable to most, a novelty to some, while tourists seemed to exhibit a sense of ‘pity the injudicious and melodious Soul Train’ enjoying the experience.
Seems as though time is not longer than twine on this issue, as we have been this way many times before. Discussion after discussion. Talk and more talk. Even the formation of a statutory quasi relief organization to regulate and control set up in Kay’s House. Regardless, the outcome remains the same, no change. This supercilious spectacle, is but as a result of ownership tutelage by a certain spectral of privileged, with tentacles reaching further than the seeing eye. Money sometimes moulds more than mountains, in case we impecunious should forget.
With all the talk of privatizing the debt ridden Transport Board, certainly something will have to be done. A hallmark of the sustainability of all profitable businesses is organization and accountability. Should the Second Estate take over the transporting function, change WILL have to come and the ZR culture will have to cease. Drivers will receive fixed salaries and the ‘tally ho’ commission culture, will be no more. Drivers and conductors will wear uniforms of necessity and the accompaniments. It is easily foreseen that there will be no longer licenses issued to newcomers as this was the genesis of the problem to start. Finally, sensible and safe road worthy behaviour shall revert to the streets of Barbados once more. With such we shall see the last days of the rapacious lamprey shrew.
God speed be that day.
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