Illegal buses get fine

Passengers express disapproval

Police officers pulled several Voxy and Noah buses over during a routine patrol. The drivers were reportedly transporting passengers illegally. Each passenger reportedly has to pay SRD 10 for a one way trip to their destination. The police officers pointed out that nobody was following the COVID-19 rules. Chief Inspector Humphrey Naarden, head of the Public Relations Office of the Police Force Suriname (KPS), pointed out that the police officers have enforced the law. Naarden explained that the bus drivers who do not have a permit were given a fine of SRD 500.

The drivers as well as the passengers disapproved of the actions of the police. Jaquilinne Pinas who is dependent on the minibuses to commute explained that she pays SRD 20 on a daily basis. “If they were to stop providing this service, I would have a big problem because taxi drivers charge between SRD 70 and SRD 90.” The drivers of the minibuses who operate on the Paramaribo-Lelydorp route explained that they have no income and that they always make sure that their passengers cover their mouths and noses. “The government does not help us. We receive no financial aid and we also have our monthly bills to pay. Do the police want us to choose a life of crime to provide for our families? Must we plunder stores and give the police more work?” Some bus drivers wonder how much they should charge each passenger if they are only allowed to transport 5 to 7 people. One of the bus drivers explained that if the police were to target illegal buses, he would join a taxi company and charge SRD 20 each of his 7 passengers for a ride. He urges his colleagues to also consider this option. “That way you do not get into trouble with the police.”