Parkop calls bus-service model old, outdated

THE model of the public transport system used in Port Moresby had long been discarded by towns and cities around the world, National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop, pictured, says.
“It has not worked anywhere else in the world. It has been rejected in cities and towns around the world,” he said.
Parkop made the statement after the PMV Operators’ Association met on Sunday and resolved that there would be no more bus strikes such as the one that happened two weeks ago which left many city residents stranded.
The protest was over the alleged assault of a bus driver by a police officer.
Parkop warned the bus operators to find other ways of dealing with their grievances instead of stopping the bus service which most people depended on.
“Unfortunately, the PMV association has been doing this for too long. When they have grievances, they just ignore the rights of residents and just shut their service,” he said.
PMV association president Jack Waso said the 700 members apologised for the withdrawal of the bus services.
“We apologise as we understand that it affected everyone,” he said.
However, the strike happened as a result of a police officer assaulting a bus driver which is a violation of the rights of the bus driver.”