Paltry bus fare increase
published: Monday | August 18, 2003

THE EDITOR, Sir:

I THINK that we have got so used to opposing and quarrelling that we do so at the drop of a hat. There are many things that the government does that exacerbate our anger and cause grave hardships. Some of these things are unavoidable but could have been avoided if problems were dealt with from an early stage (a stitch in time saves nine).

I am however appalled at the reaction of the public and opposition JLP over the $5 to $10 increase in bus fares for children and adults respectively. I think a family would have to consist of, say about 10 children who travel from say Portmore to Kingston and back for seven days per week for this to be a major threat to monthly income. I know that we have been tightening our belts for a long time now but $10 is easy to save per day; one less cigarette, $10 less Cash Pot, one less beer, one less drink of rum, one less idle telephone call, $10 less in the church collection plate and stop throwing away those coins they might just add up to $10. I know that there are a lot of persons that do not do any of the above but you can find a way to save $10 per day if you check.

The hard fact is that it takes a lot of money to run a passenger transportation system whether public or private. Yes there have been alleged waste and corruption at the JUTC and obviously a $10 increase in bus fares will not be the ultimate solution for all of this but a $10 increase is still a paltry sum.

Please, my people, desist from protesting for protesting sake. This might just increase our propensity to be cantankerous. Peace.

I am, etc.,

GEORGE YOUNG

Malu696@yahoo.com

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