Transport ministry seeks to resolve issues at MoBay Metro
ST JAMES, Jamaica — The Ministry of Transport and Mining says it is working to find practical solutions to resolve the issues being faced by the Montego Bay Metro Company Limited (MoBay Metro) after drivers and conductors of withdrew their services on Monday.
The main bone of contention for the workers, who picketed inside the padlocked gate of the main entrance to the headquarters of the State-run bus company in Bogue, Montego Bay, is the inconsistency in salaries and fringe benefits between them and their Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) counterparts in Kingston.
The transport ministry has since disclosed that it is currently awaiting the submission of a cost of the claim from the company’s general manager to present to the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service in order to address the issue of parity.
The ministry, in a release yesterday, said funds were made available to facilitate a smooth start to the new school year and it is focused on maintaining the viability of the company and sustainability of its operations as a matter of priority. To this end efforts are still being made to provide more funding, thereby increasing the number of buses in operation, it continued.
“We cannot compromise when it comes to the safety of operators and passengers,” said Permanent Secretary, Dr Alwin Hales.
In the meantime, the ministry is appealing for patience from the workers and passengers as it works to ensure that the parties involved come to an agreeable solution.