Last night, our headline story was a public warning from the Belize Bus Association may launch a national shutdown of public transportation in protest of the very high cost of fuel. They suggested that the Government and the Minister of Transport weren't treating their plea for a bus far increase with the appropriate level of urgency, especially in an environment where the increasing pump price for diesel continues to cripple their business operations.
Well, 7News has since seen a lawyer letter, which Dean Barrow, wrote on behalf of the association to the Ministry of Transport, the Chief Transport Officer, and the Attorney General. In it, Barrow informs the recipients of the letter his law firm has filed a Supreme Court application for permission to bring a judicial review claim. The Association intends to urge the court to declare illegal and quash several road service permits awarded to Floralia Limited by the Transport Board.
As viewers are aware, the Floralia bus line started operating on December 6th of last year with two runs from Punta Gorda Town to Belize City and back. According to Barrow's letter to the Government, the supreme court application from the BBA will also seek a stay of the last decision of the Transport Board to grant permits to Floralia for Dangriga/Belize City runs, among others.
In his letter, Barrow informs the Minister of Transport that according to his client's information, his ministry has agreed to commence those soon-to-be-disputed runs next Monday.
Yesterday, during our conversation with the Secretary of the BBA, he briefly touched on this court case. Here's what he had to say:
Ewart Metzgen - Secretary, Belize Bus Association
"There's a lot of issues that's plaguing the bus industry. One in particular we were asked not to speak about by our attorney that is now in the hands of the courts, the minister of transport, the attorney general and the CTO has been served by our attorney Barrow and Williams. So, that concerns as much as it concerns the Floralia Bus Line, so that is as much as I will say on that."
As their attorney, Barrow has asked the Ministry to stand down on the permits for next Monday. We'll keep following the story.
