Today the Commissioner of Police apologized to those commuters who were inconvenienced but dodged any speculation about the threat of instability in the transport industry.
Gerald Westby, Commissioner of Police
"I must apologize for the inconvenience to commuters this morning but it is their interest we have at heart to make sure the buses are up to standard and it's across the board we're checking."
Jules Vasquez,
Are you concerned that if there is a drastic move by the Transport Board, which it has the legal authority to impound buses, if there is a drastic more there could be commuters stranded and we could have a security issue unfolding on the roadway?
Gerald Westby,
"Well let me say that we are primarily concerned that people that have buses running on the highway, across the board, everyone must comply with the law and that is what we are ensuring. I have been assured by the Department of Transport that Mr. Phillip Brackett will be available tomorrow to interview and I am sure some of the questions you are now directing to me, can be addressed by him."
Jules Vasquez,
When commuters are being taken off the bus, it becomes not only a issue for the transport regulator, which is the Ministry of Transport, but if it becomes a security issue, as we've seen before when people can't reach their work or whenever they can't to reach and for the price they want to, they get upset and it becomes a security issue. Are you all prepared if such a contingency should evolve?
Gerald Westby,
That's why we're working very closely with the Transport Department to make sure that people comply with the law."
The National Transport Board will meet tomorrow afternoon, where it will decide how to proceed while satisfying the requirements of the law, and placating the receiver which has reportedly issued an ultimatum: "get those buses off the road, or else!"
Whatever happens on Friday, Transport Commissioner Brackett says that his office assures the public that on Friday, a sufficient number of buses will be traveling and picking up passengers as usual. He says the department and the industry has the capacity to meet the demand and at no time will commuters be left on the road. Good to hear, but hardly reassuring from a regulator which has repeatedly failed to effectively manage this most unwieldy of industries.
