The Jamaica Association of Transport Owners and Operators (JATOO) has voiced opposition to a proposal by the Ministry of Transport to have members operate from the new downtown Kingston transport centre, while government-owned buses continue to use the bus bay in Parade.
The Association's executive has unanimously agreed to defy any regulation or proposal by the government to place a ban on their members from doing business in Parade.
Jamaica Urban Transit Company buses currently terminate in the Bus Bay near St. William Grant Park, in Parade.
National Director for JATOO, Egerton Newman says the organization welcomes the construction of the new facility.
However, Mr. Newman is insisting that all public transportation that terminate in downtown Kingston, including JUTC buses, should use the facility.
“We are saying that this should not be so. All public transportation should use the facility because we believe it is a way of transforming downtown Kingston in terms of public transportation. If we use the newly built transport centre at Water Lane, no passengers would want to come down there to take our buses because they would take the JUTC buses which are parked right where they are so we will lose revenue. How will a passenger walk from Parade down to Water Lane when a JUTC bus is parked right where they are? It cannot happen,” he said.
Mr. Newman says JATOO is seeking an urgent meeting with Transport Minister, Mike Henry, to discuss the concern.
The construction of the Transport Centre was undertaken by the Urban Development Corporation, and is part of plans for major rehabilitation on the Kingston Waterfront.
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