For decades successive governments have demonstrated the inability to regulate our public transportation system. Why should we be surprised at this state of affaires if political parties are unable to manage internal affairs? The inefficiency and chaos in the PSV sector is a confirmation that there is a systemic problem to be solved.
The video was submitted by FearPlay.
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I catch ZRs from time to time and more often than not my experience is pleasant. I however only take ZRs where there is no conductor and the driver looks to be 40 or older.
The ZR situation is simply nature at work. It is called entropy. All systems tend to disorder and chaos unless energy is expended to bring order
Scientist and engineers understand this and their careers are built on creating systems where entropy increases slowly or creating tools to bring order
Lawyers are agents of chaos!!
Minister Santia Bradshaw has promised to deal with the matter at once. Why must our officials respond to these one one incidents when intervention calls for more draconian interventions? In the same way it is called for on the crime front?
Piss in the blogmaster’s pocket do.
“Gunman believed to be a 14-year-old in Georgia school shooting that left at least 4 dead, source says”
https://www.cnn.com/2024/09/04/us/winder-ga-shooting-apalachee-high-school/index.html
Heard all the talk already about ” we will deal with this ZR culture” bla bla bla. Been hearing this for the last 20 years from 2 political parties and at least 3 different police bosses. You think these maniacs on the road don’t know wunna is all talk too!
@John A
They going with William’s counsel.
#businessasusual
‘Lawless and reckless’
Santia: Viral video of PSV being probed
by MARIA BRADSHAW
THE SHOCKING VIRAL video of a Public Service Vehicle (PSV) driving into oncoming traffic along Collymore Rock, St Michael, in order to overtake other vehicles, is being investigated by the Transport Authority.
Minister of Transport & Works Santia Bradshaw told the DAILY NATION that the owner of the vehicle had already been contacted as well as the insurance company and this could lead to a suspension of the permit until the matter is investigated.
The minister also revealed that after 21 drafts of legislation dating back many years, her ministry would finally be rolling out a comprehensive set of regulations for the PSV sector.
“I’ve seen the viral video that would have been shared on social media over the last 24 hours. The Transport Authority and certainly the ministry, really condemns the behaviour of persons who behave lawless and recklessly on the roads. It is clear from the video that the behaviour of the driver could certainly have endangered not only the passengers in the vehicle, but also had the potential to endanger persons who may have been pedestrians at a traffic lights junction, as well as persons who would have been approaching the traffic lights from the other side.
“The Transport Authority has since been in communication with the police. They have also been in connection with the insurance, as well as, I believe, the owner of the vehicle, and certainly the owner will communicate with the driver as well to come in. A meeting is planned where the video would obviously be shown in terms of that this is a serious allegation to the parties, and they will be advised of the action which will be taken in terms of suspension in this matter in relation to the permits while the investigation is pending. And obviously natural justice will follow in terms of obviously hearing their side, but I think it alarms us in terms of what we have seen and obviously the action will be taken by the transport authority.”
Bradshaw said her ministry would begin the sensitisation process on Monday and it would Stakeholder talks extend to the public as well.
“We have spent the past few months with the stakeholders and certainly the owners and some of the operators, drivers and the conductors, trying to just work through with our communications team what is the best way to help to change the behaviour of these individuals. We’ve introduced a number of responsibilities that each of the stakeholders have to each other and in turn to the general public, and created a better regime to be able to govern the public service vehicle sector as well.”
She noted that this would result in a change in the mindset.
“We have to obviously talk to the drivers and explain the concerns that we have and what behaviours will not be tolerated and what behaviours will certainly be enforced because there are offences created under the regulations as well, which has penalties, which could see them having their licences taken away. And also looking at the conductors, what they are supposed to do in relation to the safety of passengers and also the general public in terms of not encouraging behaviours that clearly can result in a lack of safety of persons in the vehicles.
“So we felt that it was necessary to pause and just once we had the regulations framework, being able to pull that apart and then being able to now educate and sensitize the public of all that surround this matter so that everybody understands what type of regime that we would want to see.”
The first meeting is planned for Monday with PSV associations followed by meetings with the conductors, drivers and the owners.
“They will be able to come in and be presented with what the new regulations are, how it will impact them, what the old regime was, but also what the new regime will be. They will also be told about things like mandatory certification that is going to be introduced in due course, but obviously we have to let people know what to expect and then we will pick a time when we will ask people to comply with the mandatory certification to be able to obtain a licence,” she explained.
“So it is really going to change significantly the way in which the PSV sector has operated, but I think the public is calling for this and [because] of the behaviours that we are seeing on the road, there is a general consensus amongst all of the stakeholders that we can do better as a country to bring back some discipline on the roads of Barbados. I think training has been what has been missing. We have treated the business as a very informal sector, but I think the time has now come where that informality now needs to be more formalised …”
Source: Nation
Isn’t it time to fire somebody about these dry hydrants and lack of compliance to building safety codes?
DRY HYDRANTS
FIREFIGHTERS FACE WATER WOES IN REED STREET BLAZE
By Shamar BluntA fire at the Builder’s Value Mart warehouse in Bridgetown on Wednesday morning has reignited concerns about fire safety in the area, almost 14 years to the day since the tragic Campus Trendz blaze that claimed six young lives.
The fire, which broke out just before 10 a.m., on Reed Street, The City and threatened to spread, was quickly brought under control by the Barbados Fire Service (BFS). Errol Maynard, the chief fire officer, reported that 25 firefighters were deployed to tackle the blaze, which had already caused significant damage to the building’s roof.
“We responded initially with three water tenders and augmented that with the ladder truck and a couple of small appliances,” Maynard explained.
He noted that while the building had partially collapsed during the firefighting efforts, no injuries were reported.
The incident has brought renewed attention to fire safety measures in the densely populated area. Barbadians were thrown into a state of shock, pain and anger on September 3, 2010 when news quickly spread that two wouldbe robbers had thrown an explosive device into the single-entry and exit Campus Trendz clothing store on Tudor Street in The City.
The building went up in flames taking the lives of Shanna Griffith, Nikkita Belgrave, Pearl Cornelius, Tiffany Harding, Kellishaw Olivierre and Kelly Ann Welch. Three of the women were employees at the Campus Trendz Boutique, and the other three were customers. They were apparently trapped when they ran to the back of the store to escape the smoke and flames.
Maynard acknowledged that while progress had been made, there were still a number of one-door shops in the vicinity, reminiscent of the conditions that contributed to the Campus Trendz tragedy. However, he emphasised that fire officials conduct regular inspections and provide training to operators and workers in these buildings.
“There are some one-door shops in Barbados, and I believe that until all of them are retrofitted, we will basically continue to have one-door shops,” the chief fire officer said. “What we do though, we work with the proprietors to put in mitigating factors like early warning systems, fire alarm systems, and teaching the staff to recognise an incident and also what to do when an incident occurs.” forced the BFS to request assistance from the Barbados Water Authority, who provided a water tanker and personnel. While a disaster was averted, the lack of water in the hydrants, some close to Baxter’s Road, amplified the concerns about fire safety in the area.
“We have to do investigations to see if these hydrants are on an abandoned main, because although they are dry, they are in Reed Street, but some of the ones in Reed Street also have water,” Maynard explained.
MP for the City of Bridgetown, Corey Lane, visited the scene and highlighted ongoing efforts to improve fire safety education in particularly given the close-knit nature of the neighbourhood.
Damage to neighbouring properties was minimal, though one home on the western side of the warehouse sustained minor roof damage, which was promptly addressed by the firefighters.
Asha Ram Mirchandani, the owner of Builder’s Value Mart, expressed distress over the incident but remained optimistic about recovery. “The bond only was [damaged], the main building is still here,” Mirchandani said. “God will help us.”
shamarblunt@barbadostoday.bb
Isn’t it time to fire somebody about these dry hydrants and lack of compliance to building safety codes?
~~~~~~~~
You want the people to fire themselves?
Who do you think is responsible for such incompetence? ZR drivers and firemen?
…or is it the one that invited us to ‘watch muh’?
On another note
Can you (or Santia) please explain what the ZR driver in the video did that was against any law?
Bushie was looking and looking… and seems to have missed it…!
Did the warehouse have a Fire protection sprinkler system ?
@Hants
You know the answer to your question. All of Miss Ram buildings are rat infested and pop down.
How about the ZR Boss?
When did it become illegal to overtake traffic by crossing over into the oncoming lane?
We do it all the time, especially when there are BBs in traffic driving at 3 mph and sight-seeing.
What Santia and Co. SHOULD be concerned about is the lack of ANY kind of comprehensive transportation plan for the damn place.
Who EXACTLY has FAILED in that regard?
What else can individual players do then, than ‘break fuh dumselves’?
Any bets that the Ministry and the dovish police will now pursue this RED HERRING, only to be embarrassed by a Lashley in court….ten years from now…
That would be funny as Hell doh, since it was a Lashley that REALLY accelerated the transport mess by the unorthodox distribution of licenses..
WHAT a place!!
@Bush Tea
We hold PSV operators to a higher standard but you are correct, there is wanton lawlessness seen on the roads daily by all and sundry.
@Bush Tea
The laws broken might be driving without due care and attention, reckless driving or the equivalent law on the books.
However, I don’t believe they can successfully prosecute or do anything to the driver’s license unless someone directly involved comes forward or the driver confesses.
What is also missed is the first few seconds at the start where the first ZR blocked the right lane by the traffic lights to trap the second ZR behind the other cars.
If they are going to penalize the second ZR driver, they also need to penalize the first ZR driver too for blocking both lanes at the traffic lights.
The permanent solution is simple but the authorities refuse to implement it.
The problems are all on the overcrowded routes like the Route 10 Silver Hill ZRs in the video clip which is an overcrowded route so they must hustle to get enough passengers to make a profit.
Route permits numbers need to be reviewed and rebalanced on 1-2 year cycles so all routes are serviced by the right number of permits, not under or over serviced, eliminating the need for hustling which is the root cause for the reckless driving to make a profit.
Improved Bus Services
Less Car Ownership
Barbados could have Bus Lanes for organised routes, so more people travel by bus straight through without traffic jams, instead of many cars on the road where the cumulative effects cause more pollution damage to the environment i.e. less green
Problem is many people are too stuck up and think they are above public transport which is for the poor
But this is the future way to go with petrol price increases eventually pricing out everyone but the richest
@ Critical
You are correct.
However such subjective laws usually only apply when there is a bad outcome from the incident, such as an accident or injury.
If drivers were routinely charged for reckless driving or for driving without due care and attention, we would likely all be felons.
Overtaking is actually LEGAL, provided that the driver ensures that it is safe to do so, and the driver does it at their own risk (should anything go wrong)
The only thing that went wrong here was that there was a dash cam behind him.
The SYSTEM is flawed- as you point out. Even the management and administration of the transportation system is flawed.
Who the Hell is in charge?
What are the rules?
What are the most critical problems?
What are the options for possible solution?
Which is the most feasible option?
Kiki’s generic wiki ‘solution’ about bus lanes is a joke….
That is an option in a PLANNED city, but in a little ad hoc place, where a minister has been making political land use policy for the last century?…. good lick with even getting a cycle lane..
The ‘problem’ will go away when gasoline cost $50 per gallon, and most people are on zero time contracts, with a minimum wage of $9.90 per hour.
“Kiki’s generic wiki ‘solution’ about bus lanes is a joke….”
Barbados is 0.27 times as big as London (UK)
Bus Lanes means a bus journey will take minutes compared to sitting in traffic jams for an hour plus
Call it reality not wiki
@Bush Tea
We have discussed many times, there is no appetite in the country to nurture an enforcement culture. The indiscipline is prevalent in all spheres of society. We need a holistic action plan to pull back from the chaos that ensues.
Again you have no idea what you are talking about, we hardly have real estate to widen existing roads because of historical building development in the country. Sometimes it is better to read and understand.
“we hardly have real estate to widen existing roads because of historical building development in the country. Sometimes it is better to read and understand.”
So what is the long term future plan
Will Barbados be the same in 50 years
or will it be developed like a Singapore
“Kiki’s generic wiki ‘solution’ about bus lanes is a joke….”
Good call.
It is difficult to imagine in a country riddled with roads with just two lanes, how having a designated bus land will work. Some will rush in to point out that we have some roads that are wider than two lanes, but how log are these road and when the converge to two lanes what will happen? This is a patch that is more dangerous than it is safe.
As the blogmaster has pointed out, widening of our roads would have to be a part of this fix. If we want to put the horse first then we would designate bus lanes after we widen the roads.
You* could build new roads Holmes and new highways
(*) or Chinese road builders
the bus / lane idea was to emphasise a modern bus service to reduce and replace 125,000 cars
Barbados wants new ideas thinking outside the box not same old moaning
“SAFETY ‘RISKS’
UNREGULATED CONDUCTORS ‘INCREASE VULNERABILITY TO THEFT’
By Emmanuel Joseph
More than half of public service vehicle (PSV) conductors are reportedly working illegally by failing to comply with regulations, according to a senior transit industry figure.
Roy Raphael, chairman of the Alliance Owners of Public Transport (AOPT), has claimed that over 60 per cent of conductors are operating without the required identification badges and uniforms mandated by the authorities.
Raphael expressed concern about the widespread disregard for regulations that govern conductors’ terms of employment. He criticised the practice of conductors working on PSVs in informal attire, such as threequarter-length trousers, and without badges – actions that disqualify them from legally collecting fares from passengers.
He told Barbados TODAY: “A conductor plays a very important role, and it is not the intention of the association to dismiss conductors altogether, because we find that some people use a conductor as a safety measure in order not to be attacked or robbed.
If a man works alone, he is more likely to be targeted.
“We are saying that the conductor is very vital to the sector, but they must be regulated.
The new regulations speak to conductors. Not only that, the conductor legally puts himself at risk if he is not legalised. For example, a person can refuse to pay a conductor if he does not present a badge. That is the law. So, to safeguard them from any court action or confrontation, we are making the suggestion toconductors to be legal.”
Raphael also highlighted instances where individuals pretending to be conductors collected fares and absconded with the money before the PSV drivers could retrieve it. He further revealed that training courses for PSV operators, covering the process of acquiring badges, would be introduced shortly.
“In the next couple of weeks, we will be running ads and working with an entity to show the importance of conductors and PSV operators,” he added.
But, Anwar Nana, chairman of the Association of Public Transport Operators (APTO), offered a more cautious assessment of Raphael’s claims. While acknowledging that many PSV operators do not wear uniforms, especially outside the Constitution River Terminal (CRT), Nana was unwilling to endorse the figure of 60 per cent noncompliance without further evidence.
“I don’t agree or disagree,” he said. “I don’t have that information. I can’t say yes or no to it without the relevant information. But the uniform outside of the CRT is where the issues are. The guys . . . if you are going across Warrens, they don’t wear uniforms.”
Nana did note that all operators within the CRT are fully compliant with the regulations, stating that no driver or conductor is allowed into the facility without wearing the required uniform and displaying their badge.
When approached for comment, Maria Boyce, who is acting on behalf of the Director of the Transport Authority, declined to respond.”
Source: emmanueljoseph@Barbadostoday.bb
“Isn’t it time to fire somebody about these dry hydrants and lack of compliance to building safety codes?”
Didn’t we have a problem with fire hydrant before, I seem to recall some were rushing to provide some explanation for the failure of a hydrant to deliver water. I am hoping to see them rush in again and again and again.
Nobody was rushing to defend anything, the prevailing view was that the road was Nelson Street had been recently replaced and a better job could have been done by the BFS to inspect the hydrants. Why pick in non points.
The common issue here is that our authorities do a lousy job at maintenance. This cannot be refuted.
“Isn’t it time to fire somebody about these dry hydrants and lack of compliance to building safety codes?”
~~~~~~~~
@TheO
…so what do you think just happened to Halliday?
In Brassbados people who are incompetent are fired UPWARDS.
…think senior ministers
…think CLICO directors
…think NIS
Come on TheO…
keep up.
That was the blogmaster, a double jointed fellow
I don’t know how he manages to defend and attack the same item.
Last post
I want all of you to have a great day.
Love manifests itself in several different ways. There is a love that is supportive and encouraging, but a true love will also be corrective.
It is painful to have to be always speaking out, but let us keep the truth at the forefront/core of our discussion.
You can always rely on the PSV sector pushing back. It is not enough to say that sector should think it has leverage to bargain any matter:
https://www.instagram.com/p/C_tLc09JKIY/?igsh=MWpxY25oa3RodG95YQ==
New course for PSVs Mandatory training on the way
DRIVERS AND CONDUCTORS will have to undergo mandatory certification in order to work on public service vehicles (PSVs).
This was announced yesterday by Acting Prime Minister Santia Bradshaw, who is also Minister of Transport and Works, following the first sensitisation meeting of the new Transport Authority regulations.
The meeting was held with various stakeholders, including the General Insurance Association of Barbados, police, PSV associations and the Transport Authority.
Bradshaw said the training sessions would start on October 1 and PSV operators would attend in groups.
“So we’re putting persons on alert that a new culture and a new change is coming to the sector and one that I think will be welcomed based on the comments that have been made in the general public . . . . So over the course of the next few months, it is
Continued on Page 4.
zoom-in
Santia: Safe driving the goalour intention, with Haigh Communications, to have a series of training sessions to sensitise the general public and also, as I said, we will have meetings with the owners, we’ll have meetings with the drivers and the conductors.”
She noted that the training sessions, which were formulated by the Transport Authority and the Barbados Community College, were conceptualised to promote safe driving practices.
“We recognise that many people require training because you have a lot of persons who are leaving school [and] in many cases they’ve not been to any formal training to be able to learn how to be a driver or even a conductor.
“We feel very strongly that the time has now come for that type of mandatory training to be put in place for persons to be certified, in order to be able to hold these very important positions where they are responsible for the lives of passengers and certainly of people who are using our roads.”
Bradshaw added: “Based on the input from the stakeholders, we have formulated a training session that will allow the certification of the drivers and the conductors to be able to now engage in a level of training and certification, before they can participate in driving and certainly conducting on the roads. We feel this is an important element of making the change and the transition from what obtained before and what we believe must obtain going forward.”
The Acting Prime Minister stressed that it was not an attempt “to discard people”.
“I want to make that abundantly clear. This is not to discard people. This is actually to improve the [person’s] abilities and their skills . . . . It gives the owners and the operators a bit more comfort in knowing that their investment . . . is being placed in the hands of a driver who has at least gone through the training that was necessary to allow them to understand the investment that they have in their control, but also to appreciate that they’re carrying the safety of the pedestrian and the passengers in that vehicle as well, and that they owe a duty of care to other road users.”
Stressing that there were only “minor changes”, Bradshaw stated that the substance of the regulations were agreed upon by the stakeholders.
Roy Raphael, chairman of the Alliance Owners of Public Transport, who attended the meeting, welcomed the mandatory certification.
“We see that a number of the conductors in the service are uncertified and I’m happy to know that the ministry is moving quickly to certify them, to encourage them to become conductors. Obviously, we looked at the fact that we have a number of drivers that we would like to see come into the service,” he said.
He added that his association would be rolling out a number of initiatives that would be beneficial to the PSV operators as well as the public. (MB)
Source: Nation
LOL
HAHAHA
OHHHHH ShhhhhIIITTEE
Mandatory training for ZR drivers on how to wear uniform, obey traffic laws and stay on route!!!???
What the Hell!!
So when the ZR people are all trained, and the jokers AT THE TOP PERSIST with their idiocy, such as the new minor accident policy and the undermanned police force..
THEN WHAT?
Steupsss…
How about some mandatory training for ministers on:
-How to manage projects
-How to account for tax money spent
-How NOT to accept bribes – far less CHEQUES from businessmen
-How to REFRAIN from giving contracts to friends and family
-How to lead PRODUCTIVE enterprise – rather that selling our asses to foreigners
…and how not to look like low rate clowns.
Training is not like building a tower, it is more like digging a grave.
YOU HAVE TO START AT THE TOP.
What a pack of clowns.
What a place.
@Bush Tea
You forgot to add corrupt behaviour by public servants in cahoots with politicians to overcrowd some routes.
Boss..
Bushie also forgot to add the childish, petty, UNPROFESSIONAL, and downright bitchy behavior of the Ministry of Eddykashun, in their ongoing treatment of the MANAGERS of their OWN ministry – the damned Principals.
Have you EVER seen anything WORSE?
…than to shift a SCHOOL PRINCIPAL around ..like an hourly paid ‘zero-hour’ worker?
With no consultation, and no notice?
…and it was CLEARLY not a one-off error last year.
It is a DELIBERATE, ‘bitchy’, power play by the lotta women currently messing up the already f#$@&d (failed) system.
What the Hell!!
Just when you think it CANNOT get any worse, such idiocy arrises.
The OTHER set of jokers are the Principals themselves.
What pride can you have in yourself, when such a group can allow themselves to be treated like this..?
..And if you have NO pride in yourself, what pride can you inspire in teachers …and on to students?
Did you read the remarks of the Principals president?
LOL..
She says that ‘if it can’t be helped, at least give us a month’s notice..’
LOL ha ha ha
What did Bushie say about always getting EXACTLY what you deserve..
Steupsss…
The poor children….
At the mercy of clowns.
No wonder they all aspire to ‘go away…’
What a place.
Training.
Barbados is a failure. Self-correction is needed. In this case, remove the blights.
The Ministry has been pushing what I call the company man type for principal. No more Matthew Farley or Jeff Broomes. Just feckless, follow order types. The few who show an independent streak they are quickly brought to heel with a transfer.
And the cowards they are, they then hide behind the Ministry of Public service and claim they are not the ones making the decisions
@David September 10, 2024 at 7:52 am “You forgot to add corrupt behaviour by public servants in cahoots with politicians to overcrowd some routes.
Correction: You forgot to add corrupt behavior by politicians in cahoots with public servants to overcrowd some routes.
Politicians are the leaders, are they not?
The drivers and conductors genuinely work hard.
All others, politicians, civil servants, owners, insurance companies are damn “rent seekers” sucking the blood of the hard working drivers and conductors, and the long suffering passengers, whose money funds all of the above rent seekers.
Rent seeker: When an individual or an entity seeks to increase their own wealth without benefiting society.
@Simple Simon
No, only public servants can sign off.
@David September 10, 2024 at 9:16 pm “only public servants can sign off.”
Are you suggesting that politicians never bully and coerce civil servants?
Do you get it for our system of government to work as intended the public service must work independently of the executive?
But do they ACTUALLY work independent of the executive?
Is there any public servant alive or dead who could have for example defied any of our maximum leader Prime Ministers and still hold his or her pick?
Only the TRUTH will do David.
@Redguard September 4, 2024 at 1:04 pm “I catch ZRs from time to time and more often than not my experience is pleasant. I however only take ZRs where there is no conductor and the driver looks to be 40 or older.”
Kindly note that the driver charged in the incident highlighted above is OLDER than 40. He is 42. So not everything in Barbados is abou “de young boys”
Since the life expectancy of a Bajan man is 76, middle age begins at 38. And for those who fool themselves that they are young, when my dad was 42 like this driver is, he had been married for 12 years and was the father of 7 all by one wife. Had done settled himself into a serious, stable, productive life. Both of my brothers similarly.
Of course they don’t work independently , they have to align and execute the policies of the executive within the boundary of public service rules. This is not what the discussion is about.
The blogmaster invites you to join the discussion.