For anyone searching for comic relief during the stressful times we have to endure these days, especially with COVID 19 about, tune in to Public Account Committee (PAC) Hearings. Recordings are available online on Facebook, YouTube, Barbados Parliament websites- you have no excuse to not avail yourself of this stress buster. The PAC under the chairmanship of Opposition Leader Bishop
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There is another important exercise unfolding in the Barbados Parliament. One of the most important working committees of parliament – PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE (PAC) – chaired by leader of the Opposition Reverend Joseph Atherley has been meeting to call to account the workings of the Transport Board. The revelations from the PAC so far corroborate the Auditor General’s several reports
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It hurts like hell to know the general public- read mainly people in the lower socio-economic bracket- is being asked to pay $3.50 bus fare. Then we have to read how successive governments have contributed to the current state of affairs. All sensible Barbadians must seriously question if the governance model has not outlived its usefulness or is it a
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It seems that every problem related to the delivery of Public Transportation in Barbados has been exposed in the past few weeks. Raising bus fare has always been a sore thumb for successive administrations. In my lifetime, I have seen bus fare rise from $0.25 in 1976 to the present $3.50. Despite increases in the cost of public transportation, addition
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“A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves.” ― Edward R. Murrow The blogmaster continues to listen to the fury in the feedback by Barbadians triggered by government’s decision to increase bus fare to $3.50. After more than four decades has the national discussion changed about the state of public transport and the burgeoning sub culture which accompanies
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We haven’t made the decision if it will go up by a $1.50 or if it will go up by $2, we don’t know now, but certainly all of that has to be accessed to make a decision as to where bus fares will go – Minister of Transport William Duguid During the debate of the 2019 Appropriations Bill and
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The following comment was posted by BU commenter Artax in response to a statement by BU that questioned Minister Michael Lashley’s ability to supply an efficient public transportation service in Barbados – Barbados Underground Transport Board has been STRUGGLING for months to put at least 85 units on the road per day. “How did (Lashley) plan to rollout a contingency?”
Read morePosted by Artaxerxes to the UWI Cave Hill Takes a Hit Politicians from the BLP and DLP are guilty of implementing policies that seemingly benefit the electorate in the short term, but in actuality having long term benefits for the political party. For example, the NHC housing policy has been exploited by both the electorate and political parties. These housing
Read moreSubmitted by Anthony Davis “FROM BAD TO WORSE.” That sums it all up! How do you expect people to be productive if they cannot get to/from work on time? It is very frustrating to hear: “We are having challenges with your services” after seeing buses with 2 or 3 passengers leave the terminal for destinations like Silver Hill which are
Read moreSubmitted Ready Done Last night I was in the Fairchild street bus terminal and low and behold the entrance still has not been fixed. It has been in the current state for more than 10 years. It seems there was a serious attempt to fix it about three weeks ago. Instead, the first gate now not accessible, reducing overall passenger
Read moreThe news that government has introduced a plan to the private sector to cut $400 million from the budget starting with the Transport Board (TB) does not come as a surprise to BU. The issue of financial indiscipline and a ballooning subsidy at the TB which has encroached on malfeasance has been ventilated in several blogs. The irony is that
Read moreSubmitted by Old Onions Bag The days of the Transport Board operating as a quasi Governmental institution are numbered. We have tried our best for years now to make it break even, and or make profit but to no avail. One of the reasons, (which there are many) by nature Government institutions operate intending to give social benefits and not
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Submitted by Hamilton Hill While listening to Sagicor’s Early Business Report on VOB some morning this past week I was startled by the news that the authorities in Jamaica had brought charges against three persons in that country for corruption. A business man, a police officer and a member of parliament–yes a sitting MP. According to the report this all
Read moreSubmitted by John Dillinger After the all clear was given and the tropical storm watch discontinued at 5AM this morning, a call went out on the CBC radio stations for all Transport Board employees to report for work. This was understandable. However what I do not understand was why this call was being made by Patrick Gollop, Public Relations Consultant
Read moreSubmitted by John Dillinger For the second time in a couple months, morning rush hour traffic is being warned by Operations Control of the RBPF of an oil spill by a Transport Board bus which was on its way to Bridgetown. This time the spill extends from the Garden, St. James to Derricks, St. James and there are reports of
Read moreOf late the BU family has been critiquing government’s lack of an efficient communications strategy. The reluctance of the Fruendel Stuart government to better communicate to an eager public by scheduling regular press briefings, frequent the numerous talk shows to list two examples cannot be explained. It is difficult to imagine why any government in the prevailing economic climate would
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