Dear Editor,

How could the Bruce Golding-led government allow the cost of transportation via the Jamaica Urban Transit Company to be out of reach of the very people it was designed to assist? The more things change the worse they have become!

A visit to the website of the Office of Utilities Regulation revealed that based on the proposal, the adult fare should be $70 even though $85 would allow it to break even. If the government cannot protect the poor and vulnerable among us, then who will?

If the prime minister is harbouring any thoughts of economic recovery, then similar to the JDX programme he must be mindful that the labour force has to move from point A to point B at minimum cost. This assault on the transportation sector must be challenged by the public and private sector organisations – JMA, JCC and the labour unions. There can be no increase in production if the cost of transportation is prohibitive.

It makes absolutely no sense to construct and maintain superhighways if the cost to use them is less than affordable. Gas tax, taxi fares, gas prices and toll rates will now combine to make the human elements unable to perform at any satisfactory level. Add to these the cost of the various utilities and the cost of food and the mass unemployment, and you can see that the picture is more than grim.

We cannot tighten our belts any further. We cannot bite any more bullets because we are just barely existing on a day-to-day basis with no end in sight .

I hope that when the people cannot move about using the regular modes of transport and they decide to walk, the government will understand that we can’t talk so we walk.

Howard Hamilton

Portmore Pines

St Catherine