Bus operators warned of losing licences if they keep operating
BUS operators in Port Moresby have been warned that they will lose their licences if they continue operating during the 14-day shutdown.
Road Transport Authority chief executive officer Nelson Terema said it was disappointing to see buses continuing to operate in the capital city yesterday after being told not to.
“I am appealing to PMV bus operators to adhere to the measures in place for the next 14 days,” he said.
He said only taxis were allowed to operate but drivers and passengers must wear facemasks.
Prime Minister James Marape said on Monday that bus operators had been defying the “new normal” guidelines which came into effect two months ago.
“We told them that they were to carry only 15 passengers so that there will be space for social distancing and that passengers and operators were supposed to wear masks,” Marape said.
“But passengers and bus operators failed to comply with the new normal.
“And now, with the community transmission of the Covid-19 in the city, all buses are banned from operating,” he said.
Marape warned taxi drivers to follow the rules.
“Taxis will carry one to two passengers in one trip so as to allow space for social distancing,” he said.
“Covid19 is real and there is community transmission in the city.
“I appeal to everyone to bear with us through the next two weeks as we try to clamp down on it.
“If you have no essential business to do at this time, please stay at home.”
7 comments
Bossman Terema, some taxi cabs are carrying more than 2 passengers. Get your lazy officers to monitor hotspot locations and be on foot. Simply get cab plate # and use your system in computer to serve licence/registration termination for both driver and cab. Take tougher measureson cans and PMVs. Too much mauswara. Talk less and activate more. Enough is enough.
If PMV operators continue to defy our laws than do away with them. Can the Transport department look at providing this service to our commuters?
Sadly 90% of the PMV operating int he city have loans to repay to Banks and Financial Institutions but the SOE order since March this years have affected their operations. Because this Government failed to assist financially troubled SME”s, most of the buses will reposes by Banks for inconsistent repayment. Mr. Nelson Tereme who is a head of the Government line agency is in a better position to appeal to the Government to relief them since he is the regulator of this industry. If he does not do that, he will be surprise to see no public transport on the road from the next few months.
Banks do have loan repayment holiday policy prior to the invasion of the novel virus . BSP and other financial institutions in the country are aware of the situation in the country and they have already taken appropriate remedial steps. I believe banks already established such arrangement in their system and there shouldn’t be any problem.
Almost all bus drivers and their crews chew bittle nut and smoke cigarettes and spit on the roads. They don’t have any respect for their passengers and for the general cleanliness of the city. Do away with their lousy bus service. The government or NCD should take over this service for the good of general public and the city.
This message from me Terema is for our own good…we don’t need to mention he’s name…all we need is to comply with the simple rules…don’t think you will get away if you don’t follow them rules, you and I will die from covid 19.
The government is too lax. Do it like in Italy. Use police and military to control strict lockdown measures. If you want to move around, it should only be for work or shopping or visit sick family members. Everything else should be stopped during lockdown period. People should be staying at home. No unnecessary moving around. Ban all buaimarkets and street markets. Even if the country has to get into 2-3 months lockdown, if it is meant to control and stop the spread of the virus, then so be eat. You can fix a broken economy. But lives lost are lost for good. So it’s worth doing that sacrifice.
But people must be disciplined. Otherwise forget about everything and let it spread.
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