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HOME	OCTOBER 01st, 2005

The Grenada government says it is looking at ways it can subsidise part of the cost of bus fares for students attending the T.A. Marryshow Community College (TAMCC) at Tanteen, St. George's.

This was disclosed by Transport Minister Dr. Clarice Modeste-Curwen who was speaking at a news conference called by her Ministry to announce an increase in bus fares across the country from October 1.

The new bus fares comes as Energy Minister Gregory Bowen also announced a hike in gas price and other related products on the island in the face of rising oil prices on the internatoinal market.

It was disclosed that based on an agreement reached between the National Bus Association (NBA) and the Ministry of Transport, all students attending TAMCC will be charged the full fares for all trips.

Minister Modeste-Curwen said that her Ministry is putting the necessary measures in place for the introduction of a token system in the country to assist TAMCC students who will be affected by the increase.

She spoke of government considering two options, either it provides a bus system that will take care of the nation's school children or subsidise the cost in some way.

The female minister pointed out that the school bus system was being overlooked for the time being due to the many private buses already on the nation's road and a promise given by the bus association to co-operate with the ministry.She indicated that for the token system to work there has to be transparency as well as accountability.

Modeste-Curwen brief the press on how the system will work in that the children will be issued tokens at the beginning or ending of each month. The senior government minister stressed that the students are expected to give the tokens to bus drivers who will then take it into a government cash office where they will be redeemed.

She felt that the use of tokens will be more lasting and cost effective, but added that there has to be further discussions with NBA officials over the next few days on how the new system is to be implemented.

The Transport Minister also issued a word of advice for Grenadians in the post-Ivan and Emily era. She said the country has to start looking at other ways and means of getting energy and to rely less on oil and its by-products.

In addition, Grenadians also have to give careful consideration on how they spend their money and where they will get benefits from in this current reconstruction period.

Meanwhile, a bus operator from the St. Andrew's area has already voiced opposition to the token system being planned by government. He told GRENADA TODAY that the ruling New National Party (NNP) administration had a similar programme in place some time last year for senior citizens in the country.

The bus operator said that although the people travelled on his bus, it took a very long time for him to be reimbursed by the Government Treasury.

"I cannot go in the gas station and give them (people selling gas) tokens. I have to pay for my gas up front especially now with this new gas price and we only getting 50 cents, so I want no part of this token thing", he quipped.