est. 2007

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PSV Sector COVID 19 Ready

The PSV sector continues to be of interest in the COVID 19 period. For four decades due to neglect by the authorities the sector has been allowed to fuel a negative sub culture mainly linked to greed and corruption. The reasons have been detailed in blogs and other commentary over the years, there is no…

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The PSV sector continues to be of interest in the COVID 19 period.

For four decades due to neglect by the authorities the sector has been allowed to fuel a negative sub culture mainly linked to greed and corruption. The reasons have been detailed in blogs and other commentary over the years, there is no need to repeat the arguments here.

The pandemic is a threat to public health and to prevent the spread of COVID 19 all individuals and entities MUST play a part by adhering to protocols proclaimed by public health authority.

In the opinion of the blogmaster the PSV sector has been given an opportunity to rebrand by ensuring members follow health protocols – wearing masks, overseeing physical distancing on vehicles, regular cleaning of vehicles etc. The blogmaster appointed himself at a strategic place to observe the sector this week and unsurprisingly was not disappointed at the flagrant regard for COVID health protocols. It was business as usual for the majority of vehicles in the period under observation.

Our public health officials have worked hard to contain the spread of the virus. However, there has been a large slice of luck to factor as well given how the PSV sector has been allowed to operate. Picture a scenario where a person infected travelled in a crowded Zr NOT exercising COVID precautions. A mass transit system is the perfect vehicle to ensure a rapid spread of COVID 19 in a tiny or large country. Is there a learning for Barbados from the decision by New York Governor to shut down the legendary mass transit system to be sanitized?

This is a plea to the Ministry of Transport; Transport Authority and the several PSV associations responsible for managing transportation in Barbados to rollout a plan- that should have been implemented yesterday- to arrest the indiscipline in the sector. This is a tired call given the current state of the sector but we must try and try and try in order to succeed. Successive governments have failed us and in the current setup we have not one but two ministers responsible for the sector and a Chairman of the Transport Authority who is related to the prime minister and must have her ear.

Protect people from themselves.

Do something for heaven-sakes.

 

 

13 responses to “PSV Sector COVID 19 Ready”

  1. de pedantic Dribbler Avatar
    de pedantic Dribbler

    @David, a simply set of questions for you: Are citizens riding in minibuses wearing masks? … And is the gov’t direction on masks a ‘mandate’ or merely a strong recommendation?

    Further, if masks are NOT being worn in the close confines of the jitneys either by the operators or riders isn’t that INDIVIDUALLY IRRESPONSIBLE to the family of the person and aren’t they being reckless with their lives and that of their family?

    You are right but slightly off re “A mass transit system is the perfect vehicle to ensure a rapid spread of COVID 19 in a tiny or large country. Is there a learning for Barbados from the decision by New York Governor to shut down the legendary mass transit system to be sanitized?”

    The system was only “shut down” for 4-5 hours from 1 AM to 5 or 6 AM or something like that as I read… but frankly that was as much a practical cost cutting decision as it was a health care matter and HEAPS of political and public posturing. … BECAUSE they know that they could continuously sanitize cars with an aerosol disinfectant during the day and then during those slow hours of early morn do the same more deep clean.. WITHOUT that complete system closure. So let it also be known that 1) like airlines the ridership has dropped over 80% across the NYC transit system AND on the buses they, like some other cities, ALL bus rider are FREE… because the have closed the front door (next to the driver) where payment was made …. overall, millions of $$ of LOST revenue… thus closing the system for a few hours is a win-win!

    But back to BIM…. I understand the thrust about minibus owners/drivers setting great social examples and standards given this grave contagion illness but at day’s end it comes down to INDIVIDUAL responsibility… the big city comparison is like fruit of the same orchard but are apples to mangoes… absolutely different texture, taste and realities!

    Also, If each local rider wears a properly filtered mask and practices great hand cleaning and hand-bag/.grocery bag maintenance and protocols then the jitney becomes NO MORE or a problem than they current recklessness/bad driving/accident prone behavior!

    BTW, cute joke re: “Successive governments have failed us *** and in the current setup we have not one but two ministers responsible for the sector and a Chairman of the Transport Authority who is related to the prime minister and must have her ear.***

  2. de pedantic Dribbler Avatar
    de pedantic Dribbler

    Oh gee excuse the errors above…despite appearances ENGLISH is my principal (no, principle 🙂 ) means of communication!

    Careful proof reading is clearly not a principle, however!

  3. David Avatar
    David

    @Dee Word

    Masks are not mandatory although recommended.

    Some are wearing others are not, some have them adorning their necks or foreheads.

    Some passengers are wearing, some are not.

  4. de pedantic Dribbler Avatar
    de pedantic Dribbler

    OK, got yah… In some US cities as you know masks are basically a mandate.. some businesses also mandated customers to wear same and as you also know some of those companies had to back away after staff were threatened and at least – to date – five different staff members at various companies in US have been shot or killed due to those mandatory stipulations.

    In Bim we have to practice good commonsense … I could not get on a jitney without a mask that is pure, absolute MADNESS.

    And a few days ago a friend gave me the perfect mask solution for all men who believe in Sparrow’s ‘theme’ about ’60 million Frenchmen can’t be wrong (which I was not aware is on social media as well)… USE as an additional filter to your scarf or other masks coverings… the female hygiene sanitary pad. … They are convenient (still inexpensive I presume) and are absolutely a prime example of filtering!

    @David there are NO excuses for men and surely neither women to wear masks adorned however they choose!

    I personally just use a paper-towel (Bounty of course, they are strongest yes 🙂 ) as my additional filter!

  5. de pedantic Dribbler Avatar
    de pedantic Dribbler

    re …(which I was not aware is on social media as well)…NOT the song but the pad recommendation!

  6. cpilgrimeaqaolcom Avatar
    cpilgrimeaqaolcom

    @ DPD:

    But, for the environmentally conscious, re use of the female sanitary pad, “the perfect mask solution”, following Sparrow’s salt fish, why couldn’t you recommend use of a double cotton fabric mask or something similar as a filter rather than the sanitary pad? After all …

    “One sanitary pad can take 500 to 800 years to decompose as the plastic used is non-biodegradable and can lead to health and environmental hazards”. See
    “Is green menstruation possible?”

    Multiple testing/tests (e.g in countries with small populations, say like a China and India) times multiple pads, times 500 to 800 years might have some little adverse environmental impact, no? Fortunately, perhaps, few of us will still be around.

  7. de pedantic Dribbler Avatar
    de pedantic Dribbler

    OK @Pilgrim, point well made… very well made actually re non-biodegradable.

    But ‘green menstruation’… the splash of green color on that ‘canvas’ is a bit tough to visualize far less understand how an agreeable picture could result.. but I know NOT of these things.

    BTW only this morning as I referred to the Mighty Sparrow I listened again to his “Napoleon start dis thing…60 millions Frenchmen…” and then ‘Salt Fish’ and I was astonished that I found the latter to … how should I say … too overtly ‘in your face’ (no pun really, but it does make the point). The ‘Frenchmen’ song was more subtly sweet! …. I would hate to think I am becoming prudish as I age.

    Another BTW… I saw this earlier and based on you identifying yourself there I suspect it would be right up your alley if not seen already… ‘blacktaxed.com/the-combermere-school-where-black-excellence-is-redundant’

    It really applies to all our schools and not only that one but goes too to the discourse on Black achievement, support and all that which has been discussed on education of Blacks forever and ever…

    An excerpt: “Combermere [take dat out and insert HC, QC, St. Michael’s, Modern et al] was a place where Black excellence was the price of entry, not a destination. […] That kind of environment causes you to develop confidence in your abilities (current and future), to set high expectations for yourself, because there is only one kind of expectation – high. It is [a] place where you learn that “verbal diarrhea is a disease that must be cured” after writing that sentence 350 times on the black board – i.e. there is a time and place to run your mouth and during class is certainly not the time nor the place. Your teachers are excellent, and you respect them (that is not optional) and you speak when spoken to – yes sir, no sir, yes ma’am, no ma’am, and you come prepared. You study hard, but pretend like it comes naturally to you.”

    That bit about respecting teachers is a lost era… period.. I believe!

  8. Greene Avatar
    Greene

    from where did that excerpt emanate? that link isnt working

  9. Greene Avatar
    Greene

    @DPD,

    thanks for that. i will have to buy this book.

    quote] You will find that people from Combermere have a certain air about them, we respect everyone but do not believe that anyone is superior to us. Period. Full stop.

    Someone once told me that I “walk like I own the ground that I walk on”. I was not even aware that my mannerisms gave that impression, but while I was appreciative of the compliment, I was not surprised by it… that is who we are, because we have earned it.[unquote

    the best description of a Cawmerian. i know exactly what he is saying. all Cawmerians do

  10. Greene Avatar
    Greene

    the minibuses are part of the transport system in Bim. it is no a mode of transport i embrace but they move people in Bim better than the transport board. as such they have to abide by the Covid regulation that impacts upon transportation with regard to the amount of people they can carry and the wearing of masks.

  11. cpilgrimeaqaolcom Avatar
    cpilgrimeaqaolcom

    DPD:

    Many thanks for excellent submissions. Straight ahead!

  12. de pedantic Dribbler Avatar
    de pedantic Dribbler

    Ok at Greene it seems u got the info… I just came back since earlier and saw ur query…

    (https://blacktaxed.com/the-combermere-school-where-black-excellence-is-redundant/)

    And @Pilgrim, all good… I presume u too have that alma mater thing where you “walk like [you] own the ground that [you] walk on”.

    Cawmerians often think they own dat 😂.. so others say (me too) but really Kolig boys, QC and St. Michael’s girls and dem fellas from Lodge etc act much the same way!

    Just that for many years the Waterford folks had a very robust old alumni grouping that gave them a big edge and got so many people foolishly uptight .

    It’s directly our own initiative and drive to make our own alma mater as special as it should be!

  13. SYNC Avatar
    SYNC

    The PSVs have been operating with out any respect for the customers they serve. The PSVs provide a service and many of them are not providing a quality service. The poor and persons who can not afford a car are at the mercy of the PSVs. There are a number of Laws and rules of conduct that are written on paper to be followed. No enforcement of the Laws or rules so the PSVs do as they like. I wonder what would happen if the public started suing the PSV owners and insurance companies for damages while riding as a paying customer. These issues with the PSVs are so easy to solve, just enforce the Laws and Rules.

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