THE EDITOR, Madam:
JUST RECENTLY I forgot an important document in Manchester. Recalling that the Minister of Commerce and Technology had promised that as of June 1, all mail would be delivered within 24 hours or persons would get their money back, I simply made a call and asked a relative of mine to send it by mail.
The post mistress assured my relative that I would receive the letter by the next day. I did not. This prompted me to call the Post Master General's office. I was informed that what the Minister had said was not possible, and was assured that within a week I would receive my letter. I proceeded to call the office of the Minister of Commerce and Technology but was informed that what the Minister had announced was a two month pilot project which had ended in August.
Similarly, a new bus system was recently introduced. When the new bus system was first introduced, the media were flooded with calls giving praise to the Government for what they had done. The Minister himself even 'went for a ride' on one of the buses which were a part of the new and improved bus system. Some time has passed and we are realising that the Government has been practising 'politricks'.
When the Minister announced the increased efficiency of the postal services he made no mention of it being a pilot project. The bus system is just nearly as bad as it was before. I wonder if the Minister would like to 'take a ride' on a bus from Half-Way Tree to Papine between 7:00 - 10:am during the week.
The scheduling of the buses is inefficient and there are not enough buses on the route. Was this just another pilot project Minister? Whenever a bus comes into the terminus there is a mad rush of frustrated passengers to the entrance. There is a great possibility of being picked. The buses are also being packed to 'capacity'. Persons are literally pressed onto the glass doors. People are being allowed to exit the bus via the back doors (it would be difficult to ask them to do otherwise since going through the front exposes you to being picked while going through the crowd, and would take a great deal of time).
There is no loud music in the buses now. The doors of the buses are kept closed. The buses are clean but sceptics, like myself, believe that over time the system will be worse than the old one.
I am etc.,
MARK CLARKE
ma2rk@hotmail.com
Via Go-Jamaica
