Dear Editor,
It appears that the minibus operators in Region Three, especially some of them plying the Parika to Vreed-en-Hoop route, are above the law – particularly, those who do not join the line at Vreed-en-Hoop or Parika.
Some of these minibus operators have been playing their music at very high decibels for years now. When some of them are reminded by passengers about the laws that govern their operations, they retaliate and bluntly refuse to turn their music down. Travelling is supposed to be a pleasant experience.
This is not the case in these minibuses. Whether it is early in the morning, midday or evening, the operators play music at extremely high decibels. On one occasion, it was observed that although a baby just about 1-2 months old was in the bus, the driver played the music very loudly. This is unconscionable. On another occasion there was a young primary school child in another bus and songs with obscene lyrics were played. Furthermore, on another occasion, I was in a bus and an audio track promoting oral sex was being played. It was almost like looking at pornography.
Some of the buses even have pictures of women who are naked except for a pair of skimpy underwear. Editor, some of these conductors and drivers are even stopping en route to buy alcoholic beverages to consume on the way.
Editor, we cannot continue to allow these operators to have their way with us. Why do young children and the general public have to endure this outrageous obscenity that is forced upon us? Why must we sit idly by and allow them to dump their trash in the young immature minds of our school children. This will only contribute to more chaos in our society.
One renown speaker – Jim Rohn said, “What a man puts into his mental factory (mind) weaves the fabric of his life.” Furthermore, he posited the question, “Can you imagine dumping a bale of trash into your mental factory and having a rich dynamic positive life?” He concluded, “It’s like trying to make a cake with cement.” Additionally, there’s a computer acronym GIGO which means ‘Garbage In Garbage Out’. The same is true of our minds. If we allow the violence, vulgarity and filthy content to be dumped into our minds by these minibus operators it will result in unwholesome and negative thoughts which ultimately contributes towards devious and worthless behaviour. It is for this reason that hundreds of parents are faced with the burden of contracting buses to transport their children to school.
Editor, I think this indecency has been going on for so long because the Ministry of Home Affairs and the law enforcement officers are sleeping.
Editor, if we choose to neglect these minibus operators we will choke on the dust of our own negligence. Neglecting to act will give these operators a free rein to continue amplifying their indecent behaviours and engaging in an assault on good morals, values and standards.
The Police Commissioner, the Region Three Commander and those officers who they supervise should address this lawlessness meted out by bus conductors and drivers to their passengers.
Editor, those in authority already have the legislation and the Judiciary in place to arrest this issue. Every year one can find a letter in the newspapers condemning this lawlessness in minibuses. Furthermore, this is a crime in broad daylight that needs little effort to catch the criminals.
Editor, what is very disturbing, shocking and sickening is that these very bus operators take their vehicles on a yearly basis to be inspected so that they can receive the fitness certificate. Do these inspection officers not see all the music equipment installed in these buses?
To remedy this problem, I am suggesting that a grace period of one week be given for the operators to remove their music systems from their minibuses. If they fail to remove them after the grace period then their music systems should be seized and burned.
I also would like to suggest that the Minister of Human Services and Social Protection get involved in this fight against lawlessness and indecency.
The Ministry can launch campaigns to sensitise and empower the public to stand against bus operators who operate in this lawless manner.
While I commend this Government for being proactive in infrastructural development, I urge them through the relevant Ministries to exercise the same urgency and seriousness to enforce the law.
Yours respectfully,
B Persaud – seriously
concerned citizen
