By Lynford Simpson, Staff Reporter
EZROY MILLWOOD, president of the National Transport Co-operative Society (NTCS), and a former franchise holder, has cited too much political interference as being at the heart of the problems at the state-run Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC).
After dedicating more than 20 years of his life to the public transportation sector, he should know. He believes there is too much meddling on the part of the political directorate in the running of the bus company, and charges that the management is poor.
"As long as the politician is the co-ordinator of policy and at the same time influence the management decisions (of the company) through politics then the JUTC will never recover," he told The Gleaner in an interview.
"I don't think we should go around looking for skeletons in the closet, the politicians are to be blamed squarely," declared Mr. Millwood.
The NTCS head who, until just under two years ago was one of the biggest players in the public transport sector with more than 300 buses operating within the Northern and Portmore franchises, said there was too much political interference in the company, from the recruiting of workers to the acquisition of buses.
Dean Peart, the current Minister of Land and Environment, admitted in August 2000 that people were employed to the JUTC because of their connection to the governing People's National Party (PNP). He was, at the time, State Minister for Transport.
Minister Peart, at the time of his statement, was reportedly taken to task by his colleagues for his frank admission which he attempted to deny later.
Mr. Millwood also accused the Government of "stealing with malice", the NTCS' concept of the franchise system.
He claimed the Co-operative had suggested that the Government own the resources (depots, buses etc.), establish five franchise zones, and then on-lease to private individuals/entities.
But that model did not quite get off the ground as the holders of the five franchises which operated on routes within the Kingston Metropolitan Transport Region (KMTR), prior to the coming into being of the JUTC four years ago, were left on their own to acquire buses and establish depot facilities.
They complained that they were not provided with a fare table and as such could not, among other things, set their own fares. In essence, they were given franchises as private operators but were still tied to the Government. Mr. Millwood is in favour of such a relationship but only wants Government to act as facilitator by buying the buses, constructing the depots then on-leasing to the private sector.
Currently, the Government, through Metropolitan Management Transport Holdings Ltd., buys the buses and build the depots then on lease to the JUTC. Mr. Millwood has suggested that the Government changes the current arrangement to allow private operators/entities to operate the buses. According to him, this model exists in other countries and has proven to be more efficient than the current model where the company is wholly owned by Government.
At the time of the franchises, the NTCS acted as a management company but the buses were still individually owned.
Mr. Millwood said he was not of the view that the JUTC was operating on too many routes and as such was not viable. "I don't think it's too many routes as you have to serve people wherever they are. The whole thing is politics and poor management," he concluded.
