And while that conflict will play out soon enough, at today's press conference, Minister of Transport Joe Coye said that the exclusive contract awarded to the Novelo's by former Transport Minister Maxwell Samuels in the PUP's last term in office is invalid. After heavy denials in the run-up to election, it's the first time that a Minister has owned up to even the existence of a contract signed by a ministerial colleague. But that it exists does not make it legitimate, says Coye.
Hon. Jose Coye, Minister of Transport
"To me it was an intention at the time to provide some limited concession, not exclusivity because could not have provided exclusivity, the law would not have allowed that given the circumstances, but it was an intention to give it to, I think, the National Transport. That was never pursued because that in itself was not enough. If that was to be effective, it was the intent, if it was so by the then Minister, then for that to be effective it had to go to the National Assembly because the Transport Board itself cannot grant such permission. So under the law for limited concession, or exclusivity, they must go the National Assembly."
Janelle Chanona, Channel 5
"So you assert that that document that they are holding as their basis for legal grounds, rights, is not valid?"
Hon. Jose Coye,
"Its not valid. That does not give them the right to use those buses on the road."
And while Coye says they do not have a valid contract, he concedes that the Novelo's will continue to be around in the transport industry in one form or another, whether he likes it or not.
Jules Vasquez,
Do you think the industry will be better off without the Novelo brothers?
Hon. Jose Coye,
"Jules again I have said here before that we will not allow the indebtedness to the DFC to set the national policy. We will not allow personalities to determine what we do. We want to put in place a system and we want to be fair with that system as to how we deal with anyone. So whatever maybe perceived as what happened with a loan and with the Novelo family and their personalities, I am not too interested in that now. what I am interested in is to ensure that at the end of the day we do have a good national transportation policy for this country and one that we are implementing and enforcing."
Jules Vasquez,
Do you see them as intentionally acting as spoilers?
Hon. Jose Coye,
"Jules quite frankly I don't consider myself as the Minister to be giving an opinion on that. But I must say that if anyone, whether it's the Novelos or anyone, who seems to be subverting or undermining the laws out there to the detriment, we will have to act. But I don't want to make that judgment about anyone. When we find them doing something contrary to the law then we will deal with them. Their intent is a different matter. I would expect them to continue if that is where they have their expertise and I don't think anybody can really stop them from continuing."
