Golding promises better rural school bus system under PNP gov't

 

Opposition Leader Mark Golding says the Ministry of Transport must provide clarity on how many students will benefit from the government's rural school bus system.

 

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Transport Minister Daryl Vaz rubbished the suggestion from the opposition that the rural school bus system is already experiencing problems.

 

Minister Vaz accused the opposition of wanting to see the rural school bus system fail.

 

But speaking at a People's National Party (PNP) meeting in East Portland on Wednesday night, Mr. Golding said his government will implement a better system to transport students in rural Jamaica, including cash support to parents.

 

"You know, I see they're bringing in 100 old buses with some very confused arithmetic as to how many students will be carried. It doesn't augur well for what is to come in September. But our plan is to fund a subsidy for 20,000 families in rural Jamaica. We will start with that to provide them with support, cash support every week for their children to go to school and come home. As the economy improves, we will increase those numbers so that every child will be able to attend school five days a week without having to fret and their parents have to fret about how they will get there and get back," he promised. 

 

He added that the PNP will embark on a $9 billion school feeding programme "to ensure that our needy children get at least one hot, nutritious meal a day at school".