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The Opposition PNP is coming under fire online for its stance on the rural school bus programme.
The programme has been attacked and derided by the PNP President, Mark Golding, and a string of his spokespersons.
The Opposition is instead proposing to pay private bus and taxi operators to transport rural children.
But as we hear in this report from Mahiri Stewart, scores of Jamaicans have taken to social media to push back against the opposition.
The Opposition’s comments have ranged from dismissing the programme as 100 old buses to alleging it will kill off Jamaican children.
Those comments have not gone down well on social media.
One user who goes by the username Davvy Wavvy on TikTok threw her support behind the programme.
For her, it’s a way of protecting children from sexual assault.
More than 100 people had commented on her video at the time of writing this story.
The overwhelming majority of those comments were condemning the PNP President.
The retrofitted buses will have safety features, a camera and school warden on board.
Another user, who goes by the username QueenTarshi, noted that the PNP’s stance on the bus programme has pushed her towards voting for the JLP.
She says the PNP’s proposal is full of risk for rural children.
More than 800 Jamaicans have commented on that video, with many voicing disgust at the PNP.
Over the years, there’s been a series of fatal crashes involving taxis and mini buses transporting students.
In December 2024, 2 children were killed and several injured in Clarendon while travelling in an illegal taxi.
In September 2024, 4 Holmwood students perished in a mini bus crash.
Two children were also killed in Portland while travelling home in a taxi that same year.
In April 2011, 3 students, also of Holmwood Technical were killed in a mini bus crash in Manchester.
Those incidents triggered widespread calls for a rural school bus programme.
The PNP says its proposal is superior to the government’s.
TikToker Davvy Wavvy had this to say.
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