The Belize Bus Association will implement new bus fares on Saturday - principally for western runs between Belize City and Belmopan.
Those will go up for four dollars regular and five dollars express, to five regular and six, express.
It's a 20% increase - but the bus owners - Westline included say it is needed for an industry that is being crushed by the rising cost of fuel and supplies.
Fact is, those rates were first approved in 2002 - but that spurred violent unrest across the west - and the public enemy at the time was the Novelo's.
Well now it is being introduced by the Bus Association - and their spokesperson Patrick Menzies today told the media that they have the support of the Ministry - who they support right back.
The only person missing from that picture is the commuter who will have to pay more.
And today Menzies explained how they'll handle that:..
Patrick Menzies, BBA
"I had a great meeting, it was very positive. It was 3 hours actually and the outcome was positive. One; we want to thank the ministry because they are planning on working with us with some of the things that we are requesting - some of the things the minister was mentioning he said he will be lobbying Cabinet for, like we've been asking for duty free fuel if possible just as the cane farmers have; looking at helping with the importation of parts and tires and stuff like that and exemptions of those things. The minister also explains that he expects the bus to abide by the 37 points conditions - we agree 100%. He also agrees that it is not illegal to raise the fares or to adjust the fares. Reality is that we are just adjusting the fares to what it was back in 2002."
"Many Belizeans have been saying that how can we go up in prices right now because it's a hard time right now for Belizeans and we agree. It's tough for some people to even get an extra fifty cents raise or adjustment in the travel and we understand that. So please help us lobby government on your behalf because everybody needs help."
Jules Vasquez
"You all the bus operators are the ones who willfully choose to have the Belmopan run for $4 per route. You all choose that and now because your company is hemorrhaging because of that competition and now you all want to reform a cartel, we are to blame now? - The passengers are to blame? I don't think so Mr. Menzies."
Patrick Menzies, BBA
"I like your question, it's very interesting. You are now saying who is to blame. It's not a blame game. The reality is if you are saying that back then the price was what it was then that's what it was. If any business realizes that the competition that they are having is killing them that business would re-adjust and that's all we are doing. You are correct."
"The only problem area is actually the western route."
Jules Vasquez
"Which is a problem you all created."
Patrick Menzies, BBA
"Let's clarify that - which was a problem created by the previous owners that were running. You got to realize that not everybody that's there was there then."
Jules Vasquez
"You all are the problem Mr. Menzies."
Patrick Menzies, BBA
"You mentioned very clearly - we are talking about the reality of economics. If you start to compete and you realize it's hurting you - you re-adjust."
Jules Vasquez
"Or you close down or you drive bus with 4 onion skin tires."
Patrick Menzies, BBA
"Yes sir that's what they do, drive bus with onion skin. By the way we are requesting to all operators no standees starting Monday - none. Now Belizeans be ready - no standees starting Monday. No complaints folks, when you complain there is a number that is available for the ministry and there is a text number. Please text the ministry and call them."
"We want to implement by this Saturday - it's not a ticketing; for right now it's a boarding pass, so people will be rushing out the gates like animals. I've done it, it's crazy, it makes no sense, none of us like it and we are asking the ministry to please help us to stop that because the driver and the conductor don't have any control over who rushes through the gates. That's control by the ministry. We are saying - we know you guys are working with us, we thank you for it, please lets work with us on that too. The Belizeans are requesting - they are saying we are not animals and we are saying we agree let's start with the bus passes this Saturday."
"This minister makes things happen. I love folks that make things happen. We got to make it happen in the right way and he is trying to do that, so we don't agree with everything but we are getting there. We are working together. We thank him and he asks the bus owners to make sure the busses are prepared so that he can make that happen. We really appreciate that the minister is making things happen. That's the kind of folks we want in our country."
And with all that que viva Castro talk -w e imaging the BBA will not - after all - crash the transport board meeting next week. But, they say they are still lobbying Castro to give them a seta on the board.
For right now - the fare to Belmopan is going to ten cents a mile - which is what presently exists in the north - but the BBA eventually wants to get that up to 15 cents a mile - which is what southern bus operators get.
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