Phillips questions government's plan for transport sector

 

Opposition Spokesperson on Transport Mikael Phillips has doubled down on his criticism of the state of the transport sector. 

 

Speaking at the Maroon Town Divisional Conference in St. James on Sunday, Mr. Phillips, who is also MP for Manchester North Western, said the People's National Party has been requesting without success the Jamaica Labour Party's plan for the transportation sector.

 

"All we see is four minister come and go, and no plan. And the JUTC is losing more and more and more each year. And that's why we keep saying to them, you cannot just be taking decisions because it sound good, but it has to have some foundation and value to the people that we are serving. So we're not opposing to a school bus system. But we want to know how it is going to be financed and if it can last for a long time. Not just when 100 bus come and bruk down and then we seh, bwoy, we can't afford fi replace them, because that's what they did with the JUTC. And I could go on and on," he complained. 

 

Transport Minister Daryl Vaz revealed in March that 100 buses have been procured by the Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) to improve transportation for students in rural parishes. 

 

The buses will be distributed at an average of seven per rural parish, which includes expanding services in Clarendon; Morant Bay, St. Thomas; and Linstead, St. Catherine.

 

The minister said the initiative aims to ensure students get to school safely and at an affordable cost.