You may not have heard much about the bus dispute recently, but things aren't going too smoothly in that arena. That's because "D and E", the bus line out of the west - which gave up some runs to the BBOC last week - is unhappy about having to make those concessions. All this week we've been hearing rumors that now they plan to block the roads out west. It hasn't happened but that's probably because unlike the BBOC - they aren't members of the Belize Bus Association - and don't have members they can call upon.
And so today in Belize City, they engaged in talks with the BBA to see if they can join.
Meetings were held in the city - and two resolutions were broached: first to encourage the public to boycott Westline Bus, and, second for all operators to get back all runs from Westline. President of the BBA, Thomas Shaw told us more:
Thomas Andy Shaw - President, BBA
"I'm trying to get the three major operators in the west for them to be united,Mr. Castillo, Mr. Guerra, Myself and the BBOC we are trying to get everybody united because this is the only why we can move forward."
Jules Vasquez
"Presumably that's untied against Westline?"
Thomas Andy Shaw
"Westline, that's out of the question. Our objective is, as the president it remains the same for us to really fix the situation is for Westline to be removed and all the existing operators go back where they actually started off."
Isani Cayetano - News 5
"A week ago there was contention within BBOC and its membership, you had also alluded to the fact that Mr. Frazer had went behind their back to accept certain agreements, where do you stand now with regards to having him back at the head table with you?"
Thomas Andy Shaw
"President, BBA - Well this is the reason why i am here, I'm trying to get all parties involved, as for them not to repeat themselves again. This is my reason for being here today to make sure that when we leave for here we come out of this meeting with one understanding and that is for Westline to be removed and all existing operators go back to their original runs that they were doing in the past that's the only way it's going to work."
Isani Cayetano - News 5
"Mr. Shaw you mentioned earlier that you are now over-riding the minister of transport completely and now taking this matter to the Prime minister can you elaborate on that a bit for us?"
Thomas Andy Shaw
"Absolutely because in the past this is what actually got us here where we are at right now. I've been trying to work along with the minister but basically it's just not really working, it's not working period so I'm going to leave the branches now I'm going to the root, who what to get mad get mad. I think it's time for us to move forward."
At the end of the meeting D & E was accepted into the Belize Bus Association - which increases that operator's' leverage.
For context we note that the D and E runs which the BBOC got as its compensation were previously taken from the same BBOC and given to D & E.
We note also that the owners of D & E are known to be highly pro-UDP.
And while the foment continues to bubble for bus operators, the Ministry of transport this evening announced that it had made a major breakthrough.
A release says that a meeting was held with 13 of 16 bus operators who run along the Northern Highway to discuss a revised schedule that would fit in the BBOC.
The proposal was that T-Line, Albion, Chell's, Rene Tillett, Valdemar Perez, Aron Kerr, and Michael Frazer would operate from Belize City to Orange Walk and back; Michael Frazer, Omar Tillett, Chell's, Ricardo Uk, Joshua Foundation, and T-Line would operate from Orange Walk to Santa Elena and back; Omar Tillett, T-Line, Albion, BBOC, Cabrera's, Morales, Valencia, Amelio Tillett, and Gilharry's would operate from Belize City to Santa Elena and back.
And, at the end of it, the release says, an amicable agreement was reached and the new schedule would be implemented on June 19, 2011.
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