7 News Belize

The Bus it's the mode of transportation for the many in this country who can't afford to make their daily commute in a car, and that includes the police. The northern commute should have become a bit easier for lower-ranking cops back in 2018 when a new bus line for police officers only was announced.

The two buses dubbed the Belize Transit System have been running ever since, with departures from the Racoon and Queen Street police stations.

But, at some point, BTS buses began to make departures from the city's main bus terminal and pretty soon, they were picking up regular civilian passengers just like any other bus.

This morning, licensed operators were all set to protest the BTS's double-dipping but after some police intervention, they resorted instead to making a cry for help, a cry especially for the ears of the PM, the Minister of Transport, and the commissioner of Police. Cherisse Halsall reports.

There were rumblings of a protest at Belize City's bus terminal this morning and while we expected to find stranded commuters and parked buses, what we found instead was a civil discussion between this police inspector and the BBOC team.

Darwin Kelly - Chairman, BBOC Ltd.

"We're here this morning trying to get a message across to the Prime Minister, The Minister of transport, the commissioner of police, and who all is in authority. There is a police bus, well so-called police bus BPS that's supposed to be running uniformed personnel meaning police, BDF, coast guard, and other entities that work for the government. Over the past year or so this bus started to intervene with the regular commuters. They normally operate from here in the terminal in the morning. It didn't come here, it didn't come in the terminal this morning, probably they heard what we were doing in the terminal this morning so they didn't come."

"We went to the commissioner of transport and we spoke to him about it. He did nothing, I spoke to the minister personally and nothing was done. It comes in at the terminal, picks up our people, that's where we make our livelihood, that's where we make our living. To my belief if the department or the government are paying this person to run the uniformed personnel then why deal with the local. So this morning we decided to set it on the media so that we can get somewhere with it. Probably the Prime Minister intervenes with it or we get a call from the commissioner of police to see him and sit and talk with him and we move forward. We are not here to strike or do anything unlawful we are here fighting for our rights and our legal authority."

But while Kelly says he's fighting for what's his, many commuters say they'd prefer to ride any bus but a BBOC.

Reporter

"How do you respond to criticisms that there probably should be competition for your slot because the service that you guys provide tends to be the poorest among all of the bus services?"

Darwin Kelly

"Ms. that's a lie, that's a lie and even if we are the poorest, our bus company is the company that government rely on whenever there is a disaster first company they call, BBOC."

And one firm criticism of Belize Transit System is that the bus company meant only for police officers, has no road service permit:

Darwin Kelly

"I know for sure that they don't have a road service permit. The board does not approve but the minister continues to push it for what reason I don't know."

It was a protest with a one-point agenda aimed straight at Belize Transit system and its owner Daisy Marroquin.

Critics say that while BTS is supposed to be a bus for public officials it's failing to pick them up at their required stations and even leaving them on the roadside while the bus is filled with civilians.

When officers do manage to get on they aren't guaranteed a seat.

And on the flip side, the BBOC maintains that BTS runs are taking food out of their mouths.

Darwin Kelly

"When the police bus is coming if the department is paying she, I will say she because it's a lady that owns it, if the police department is paying or giving her a stipend the department of transport isn't giving me a stipend, so I need to run I need to create jobs for my people, these are my people, I look at them as my children without me the head and I don't provide for them they can't eat."

We reached out to Belize Transit System operator Daisy Marroquin as well as Commissioner Chester Williams for comment but got no response from either. We'll keep following this story.