Dear Editor,

The Ministry of Transport has signalled a shift in policy initiatives with the pending removal of “politics” in the determination of public transportation rates for operators of private vehicles in the mass transportation sector.

Over the past years, successive governments of Jamaica have failed in balancing the real cost of public transportation to private operators against the constant price increases in goods and services and an overbearing high inflation rate.

We hope that the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) will provide a pricing mechanism for consumers using private vehicles that is in line with the reality of Jamaica’s cost of living.

If the Government hopes for increases below the breaking levels of financial viability then it ought to provide all legally licensed operators of private vehicles in public transport with subsidies. After all, transport modes and services are capital-intensive, and since private businesses do not operate just for altruism, but for profit, they will require incentives for services to be commercially viable.

Government policies on mass public transportation should also seek to address the island’s web of transport connectivity in order to increase productivity, rather than the current system that fosters wasted hours for thousands of users in getting from one point to another. As such, the Ministry of Transport needs to reassess government-owned public transportation with the view of expansion to major towns across the nation.

Government-operated public transportation is more altruistic for the benefits of productivity and economic growth, and such action would justify taxpayers’ money being taken from the consolidated fund. Another way is to support public transportation at the parish level from taxes paid to the municipalities.

Dudley C McLean II

Mandeville, Manchester

dm15094@gmail.com