Displeased bus owners establish SBO

A group of members of the Private Regular Service Bus Owners’ Organization (PLO) have decided to exit the PLO and to start establish their own union named the Surinamese Bus Owners’ Organization (SBO). The SBO will reportedly serve the interests of bus owners who feel duped by the PLO. Suraj Sahadew-Lall, founder of the SBO, is convinced that the displeased bus owners have a better chance at being taken serious by taking this step. For more than 2 years the members of the ‘action committee’ had asked the PLO to approve their membership requests. But they still have not received an answer. Sahadew-Lall explained that this was the main reason why the action committee wanted to establish its own organization. The members of the action committee are convinced that the PLO does not want to grant them access because that could stir things up. Starting this week the SBO will give bus owners the opportunity to join the SBO. The SBO will hold internal elections every 3 years in order to elect the chairman. “This organization will give bus owners certainty that they have equal rights within the bus sector. Issues such as the monthly payments of fuel compensation and establishing a reasonable bus fare are high on the agenda of the organization,” said SahadewLall. PLO Chairman John Mahadewsing could not be reached for comment but the coordinator at the PLO, Robby Boedhoe, pointed out that it would not be the first time that an organization tried to oppose the PLO. He explained that establishing an organization means more than just rallying people and reading a speech from a sheet of paper.