PMV owners pull buses off the road
By GABRIEL FITO
HUNDREDS of school children and workers were either late for work or retuned home late as PMV buses operating between Wewak and Yawasoro refused to operate yesterday.
Town-goers also braved the morning heat to walk a good 10km to town after learning of the stop work by PMV operators.
More than 10 PMV operators stopped work yesterday to protest passengers’ refusal to pay an extra 30 toea on top of the current 70 toea bus fare. The fares were raised in light of the rising fuel prices.
The operators met last week and resolved to increase the fares starting this week because of the high fuel prices, however, a minority of the passengers decided not to entertain the new fare as they claimed it had no Government approval.
The operators’ spokesperson Bill Wangi said they pulled their vehicles off t he road yesterday to attract the people’s attention to a meaningful dialogue where they could agree on a suitable price.
“Before we run off the road, we must find ways to help ourselves stay in business so that we could provide the service the people deserve,” Mr Wangi said.
He said the increased fuel prices had really affected their operations as their daily income only averaged K60 daily after spending more than K200 on fuel.
The retail prices for fuel at the only service station in Wewak are: diesel K4.37 per litre, petrol K4.36 per litre and kerosene is selling at K4.18 per litre.
Yawasoro ward 24 councillor Jack Mawi is expected to meet other fellow councillors and president Francis Hevu to decide on a date for a meeting between the operators and the people this week.
The PMVs would resume normal operation this morning but would only collect passengers willing to pay K1.00 while they wait to meet the elected leaders representing disgruntled passengers.
Meanwhile, a number of respected PMV operators have blamed the East Sepik provincial administration for failing to have a Land Transport Board in place to address such issues.
They said the Land Transport Board is the body that takes charge of any issue relating to transport.
“We must have a Land Transport Board because without it we are heading for disaster when such situation arises,” they said.
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