Belize Bus Association Holds Off Strike as Cabinet Reviews Industry Relief

For commuters who were concerned about the stability of bus runs come Monday morning, there is some relief tonight. The Belize Bus Association says it will hold off on any strike action by way of ceasing operations, at least for now.  The BBA issued a statement today following a meeting with officials from the Ministry of Transport held yesterday, amid growing tensions over rising fuel costs and the financial strain on operators. The meeting comes on the heels of threats from the Association to halt services nationwide after government rejected proposals for fuel subsidies, tax exemptions, or discounted fuel.  In its release, the BBA confirmed that the matter will now be taken to Cabinet for further consideration.  As a result, the Association says its members have agreed to continue regular bus services on Monday, April 20 and Tuesday, April 21, while awaiting a final decision from Cabinet.  The BBA notes that this decision reflects its commitment to minimizing disruption for commuters, while still advocating for a sustainable solution to the challenges facing the industry.  When Love News spoke with BBA President Phillip Jones on Wednesday, he outlined the tight margins under which bus operators are currently working, comparing their situation to that of the state-supported National Bus Company.

Philip Jones, Belize Bus Association: “Do you know what NBC is doing ? They’re charing more than the bus operators that haven’t joined. From Belize City to Belmopan they’re charging $7 dollars. Check James they’re charging $8 from Belize to Belmopan. Check Floralia they’re charging $9. That’s a dollar and two more than already what the private operators are charging. So they’re charging more. We charge $2 for short drops, the members them. Floralia charges $3, James charges $2.50. You can check the record, they are charging the most on the commuters. Now let me share the price with you. We’re only getting $0.14 cents per mile. James and Floralia is getting $0.18 and $0.19 cents. So of course the minister can boast that he doesn’t need to cut price. Of course he can say to the others that are running you can’t raise your fares. The bus industry I’m sure NBC they can attest to it now, they can talk about economy of scale but we’re the greatest example of an economy of scale because at the end of the day we don’t have managers and CEOs making seven figures and large amounts of money and advisors making huge salaries. The drivers and conductors they are the owners. They are the mechanics, they are the CEO, they are the minister of their business. So we do not wish to raise any bus fare on our Belizean people because we rely on them for our livelihoods.”

The Association says the outcome of Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting will determine its next course of action. In the meantime, commuters can expect buses to run as scheduled at the start of the work week.