During a May 27th press conference at the Office of the Leader of the Opposition, Johnson suggested that bus fares be lowered and that bus operators be compensated by the government with a rebate. “Reduce the price of bus fares by compensating bus drivers with rebates,” she said.

Transport Minister King, however, said he welcomes suggestions about the restructuring of public transportation. According to King, public transportation should be overhauled to ensure reliability and the easy movement of people.

“What we should be speaking about is a system that allows the country to get a reliable bus service, to work with the existing sector, and to see how we can transform from what exists now to a more public transportation system that guarantees the movement of people 24 hours a day,” he explained.

The Minister adds that government authorities need to work alongside public transport officials to improve service regulation and quality assurance. King alluded to instances where bus operators would impose additional fees to transport commuters to their final destination.

“There are some communities that are underserved. The buses get to a particular point, the point which the legislation speaks to, it costs $2.50 to get to that point, and then to get beyond that point, then they charge the people $5. We need to have a regulatory system that allows for both public and private sector participation.”

For their part, bus operators have voiced their disapproval with the suggestion made by Johnson. One operator, who spoke to the media, said: “I think it is more beneficial to us if we get the payment from the commuters.  Collecting it from the government will decrease our intake.”