Dear Editor,
I write in response to a recent news report in which a senior functionary of the Guyana Police Force urged commuters to report minibus operators who overcharge, advising passengers to record vehicle numbers, use their phones to document incidents, and make reports to the nearest police station, traffic ranks, or the 911 system.
While accountability is essential, I was deeply concerned by what appears to be an attempt to transfer primary enforcement responsibility from the authorities to the commuting public. This approach might be reasonable if overcharging were sporadic. It is not. On major routes such as the East Bank and West Bank corridors, and even on speedboat services, overcharging has become routine rather than exceptional.
If commuters were to follow this advice diligently, the 911 system would be inundated, police stations overwhelmed, and traffic ranks effectively reduced to processing complaints throughout the day. Hundreds of drivers and conductors are reportedly engaging in this unlawful practice daily. The scale of the problem clearly calls for systemic enforcement, not ad hoc reporting.
A more practical and effective solution would be proactive policing. Officers in plain clothes could conduct random spot checks by boarding minibuses, observing fare practices firsthand, and immediately charging offenders where breaches occur. This would not only address overcharging but also related infractions such as overloading and the playing of obscene music in vehicles carrying minors and elderly passengers. Swift, visible enforcement would send a powerful deterrent message.
It is also worth noting that the police themselves have reminded operators that failure to display the approved fare structure constitutes an offence. Yet fare charts are conspicuously absent from most minibuses. Routine roadside checks already occur for fitness, licences, and insurance. Why not enforce compliance with fare display regulations at the same time? The legal basis for action already exists; what appears lacking is consistent implementation.
Respectfully, law enforcement cannot be outsourced to commuters. Maintaining order within the public transportation system is a statutory responsibility of the authorities. Asking citizens to chronicle and report what are widely known, daily infractions suggests a reactive posture where a proactive one is urgently required.
The public deserves a transportation system that is regulated, fair, and safe. I urge the relevant authorities to adopt decisive enforcement measures that demonstrate commitment, restore public confidence, and ensure that the law is applied consistently and without delay.