Buses which ply the Morant Bay to Kingston and Morant Bay to Yallas routes being loaded at the new St. Thomas Transportation Centre in Morant Bay on Monday. - Contributed ST. THOMAS:
THE LONG-AWAITED official opening of the Morant Bay Bus Park in St. Thomas took place on Monday amid some confusion and uncertainty.
The bus park which the Mayor of Morant Bay, Owen Atkinson said can hold up to 25 buses and 70 taxis cost over $3 million to construct.
Chaos broke out shortly after the park was opened as the taxi drivers who ply the route Morant Bay to Seaforth converged at the St. Thomas Parish Council and voiced their anger at being forced to use the bus park while the Duhaney Pen to Springfield drivers remain on the roadway.
The drivers said it was unfair that they were asked to pay $15,000 per year, while the drivers who ply routes in the eastern part of the parish are still on the roadway and would not be required to pay anything. The drivers also complain that they are being harassed if they take an elderly person or even a pregnant woman pass the bus park and into the town centre some distance away.
The irate taxi drivers were addressed by Mayor Owen Atkinson who pleaded with them to comply with the rules. He said the congestion in the town centre has become intolerable and all the public transport drivers from the western end of the parish were expected to use the bus park.
He also said plans were in the pipeline to remove those public transport drivers who ply eastern routes from the town centre. He concluded by saying that he was quite relieved that the park has finally been opened, as it would reduce congestion and facilitate collection of revenues.
