Hurst Says Packed Buses Is “A Necessary Risk”

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West Bus Station

The government says the policy on buses to run at full capacity will remain unchanged.

Chief of Staff Lionel ‘Max’ Hurst reported today that the matter was discussed in Cabinet but it was agreed that the risk is a necessary one.

“Thus far, there is no indication that it has caused harm to anyone who rides those buses. It isn’t that there is not a risk, but the mere fact that we took into account that many of the bus drivers were not able to operate on a profitable basis. We have therefore determined that the risk is necessary in order that the service can continue to be rendered.

“And we insist that they must continue to abide by the process of sanitizing of hands and ensuring that customers and bus drivers wear masks,” Hurst told the media on Thursday.

At a previous news conference Information Minister Melford Nicholas said a June 25 notice indicating public buses are allowed to run at full capacity is an “aberration”.

“All buses are now allowed to carry the full [number] of passengers that the bus is licensed to carry,” the notice read.

The Minister was asked whether the government would rethink the decision given a rise in coronavirus cases.

“I believe that there was something that was wrong, that was awry about that particular issue and that statement. I believe I spoke with the General Manager of the Transport Board and I think that they are obliged. He himself was surprised at the issuance of that particular document. So, there is a matter to be dealt with in respect of that”, the Minister said suggesting the move was not approved by the Cabinet.

“I don’t think that that is a sustainable position and I believe the Transport Board has to and the Minister with responsibility for the Transport Board would have to address that matter with the public because that is not a sustainable position.”, the Minister added.

The Information Minister said the notice “falls outside the regulations that would have been published and the standard by which we would expect to keep our people safe so I’m saying here and now that that is an aberration and it cannot stand.”

The June 25 notice followed an amendment to the regulations under the Public Health Act (Dangerous Infectious Disease) that was published in the Extraordinary Gazette on June 24.

That amendment read “Public transportation services may resume normal operations provided that the operator of the public transport and each passenger wears a face mask for the duration of the journey.”

The June 24 amendment repealed subparagraph (6) of Paragraph 4 of  the amended regulations, which was published in the Extraordinary Gazette on June 17 and read “Public transportation services are permitted to operate daily from 5:00a.m to 11:00 p.m. provided that the operator of the public transport and each passenger wears a face mask; the passengers are seated in a staggered formation with one person in every row that would normally accommodate 2 persons; and no more than 2 persons in the back seat of a public transport.”.

When asked whether there was an error in the June 24 gazette, the Minister responded “no, the aberration is the note that came from the supervisor at the bus station, at the bus terminal that indicated, I believe that that is what we saw in the press and I believe that is an aberration because it falls outside of the regulations that we would have established.”.

 

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2 COMMENTS

  1. Yes LieNoHell it is a necessary risk right up until the number start spiking then you will recant your statement. Always some knee jerk reaction. A real stupid move.

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