The Editor, Sir:

The Mother in Crisis organisation, initiated by Doreen Billings, has started an initiative since the beginning of the 2006 school year, monitoring the behaviour of schoolchildren using buses to and from school.

A Christmas-term report stated that35 'mother patrollers' were assigned to several bus locations: Half-Way Tree, Papine, Parade, Washington Boulevard, Waterhouse, Constant Spring, Seaview Gardens, Windward Road, in the Corporate Area, and Stony Hill, Lawrence Tavern, Portmore, and Spanish Town.

Incidents reported

The mother patrollers travelled on the buses observing the behaviour of students and visiting various hideouts where the students go after school. Using mobile phones donated by Cable & Wireless, the mothers were able to report incidents not only to the group, but to the relevant authorities. The mother patrollers have visited several schools and attended several PTA meetings.

While travelling on the buses with the students, we have observed their pattern of behaviour - boisterous, use of indecent language, vulgarity, inappropriate dressing, total disregard for the bus crew, and the conduct of the female students with the male bus crew and the male students.

Mr. Ramacon from the JUTC had been very accommodating in the beginning to allow the mothers to travel freely on the buses. Unfortunately, by the middle of the term, this was cancelled, as we were informed that this venture was too expensive for the company.Not being able to travel freely has been a major setback for the mothers who are unemployed. Some of the executive buses and most of the 'robot' buses are totally out of control in terms of behaviour of the crews.

Indiscipline continues

We have made many reports about the buses plying various routes, but the indiscipline still continues. The loud music, overloading, overcharging (especially on the Stony Hill to Lawrence Tavern route), and worse, the inappropriate behaviour of the crew with the female students. Reports made to the police fall upon deaf ears.

The Ministry of National Security under the Safe School programme has given the mothers 100 per cent support. They have paid for several workshops for the mothers and also held an appreciation Christmas lunch.

The mothers will be continuing their efforts in monitoring our children for the Easter term as we feel that we are making a difference in the life of our students and will soon see the fruits of our labour.

I am, etc.,

JOAN B. GRANT

Supervisor, Mother Patrol