MP reacts to Millet bus drivers’ complaints

Lamenting the poor condition of roads in Venus Estate and Belair, the Millet Minibus Association on Monday started a suspension of services to the areas until they are repaired. The Association’s president told the STAR the problem had been ignored by the authorities for several years; that last year’s dialogue with officials had proved futile. Yarde said his membership was left no other option but to withdraw its services for as long as necessary.

Said a frustrated president: “What we are planning is, after this week, if nothing happens, we will stop servicing the entire route. Progressively, we will take it up another notch depending on what happens. Our Association will be meeting over the weekend to reassess the situation and then a determination will be made as to what steps we’ll take.”

Yarde says a transport officer recently visited the affected areas. “We welcomed the further dialogue but this must be followed by useful action. If you’re in discussion with a government and all you get are unfulfilled promises, you have no other choice but to take appropriate action.”

Concerning the Venus Estate road, he advised that it last received attention after Hurricane Tomas, nine years ago. “Since then,” he said, “not a single pothole has been filled in.” He recalled that the MP for the Belair area, who is also the transport minister, had himself undertaken some road repairs when the SLP held office. “Now that it’s his party in charge, why can’t he get his government to do what’s necessary?”

In February 2016 Castries Southeast MP Guy Joseph spoke to reporters during a self-help road repair initiative in his constituency. “Because I’m an opposition parliamentarian well known for my demands on the government, they punish the people I represent. That’s unfair. After all, my constituents also pay taxes, license fees and so on.” He pointed to evidence supportive of his complaint that there was a “high level of road neglect by the [Kenny Anthony] administration”. 

On Wednesday, Joseph announced that in the interim a bus had been engaged to transport commuters to the main road. In the meantime, he said, he had “been discussing with both the Ministries of Finance and Infrastructure, and in the coming week we should see some activity on the Belair road. The plan is to undertake a complete rehabilitation.”