PLO feels abandoned by the government

The Private Bus Owners’ Organization (PLO) made it clear this week that it feels abandoned by the government. This union which represents most of the bus owners explained that it has not received any word from the Ministry of Public Works, Transport and Communications after the result of the elections was announced. The PLO pointed out that bus owners and bus drivers have been without income for more than 100 days. The PLO and the National COVID-19 Management Team were scheduled to meet on Friday. The chairman of the PLO, John Mahadewsing, made it clear that the buses would leave their garages on Monday regardless of the outcome of the meeting. “They have abandoned us. There was no official word from the after the elections.” The bus owners want to charge SRD 4 for a ride through the city. The bus fares for bus rides to locations outside the city will also go up. The PLO has also established its own precautionary measures aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19 in the buses. The bus drivers and bus owners complained that they are in big trouble. The government has transferred some money as compensation but the PLO made it clear that this is not enough to cover everything. “It is a compensation of SRD 70 per day. SRD 70 is not even enough to buy bread and milk. And we never get the money on time. In the past 10 years maybe two times,” said Mahadewsing who added that not all of the bus drivers who applied for welfare from the Ministry of Social Affairs actually got the welfare.