HGP Nightly News – Several minibus routes across across the coast were disrupted on Thursday as bus operators staged strike action over rising operating costs and the government’s refusal to approve fare increases.
The protest left some commuters stranded in parts of Georgetown and the West Demerara, as scores of buses gathered first at the Square of the Revolution in Georgetown and later at the Vreed-en-Hoop Stelling.
Operators from routes including Sophia, Kitty-Campbellville, West Ruimveldt, and several Region Three routes said they are finding it increasingly difficult to stay on the road with fares that have remained largely unchanged since 2018.
Drivers and owners complained that fuel, tyres, spare parts, servicing, insurance, and other operating expenses have all increased sharply over the years, while transportation fares have not moved in line with those costs.
Several operators told Opposition Member of Parliament Sherod Duncan, who was invited to meet with them during the protest, that many buses are now running at a loss.
They argued that longer routes are especially difficult to maintain because of higher fuel use and more frequent repairs. Some drivers said they work 12 to 14 hours daily, but still struggle to cover vehicle loans, maintenance, rent, and household expenses.
The operators warned that if the current situation continues, more buses could be forced off the road.
A major concern raised during the engagement was what operators described as a lack of meaningful consultation by the government. They accused officials of making decisions about the transportation sector without properly involving the people who operate within it every day.
Some drivers said commuters were initially willing to pay modest increases, but tensions grew after public statements from government officials insisted that no fare increases had been approved.
Operators also said transportation workers are facing the same rising cost of living as everyone else, and they objected to what they viewed as threats of enforcement and victimisation.
Following the meetings, Duncan called on the Government of Guyana to urgently convene talks with bus operators, route representatives, unions, and other stakeholders.
He said the aim should be to reach an amicable and balanced solution in the national interest.
According to Duncan, the concerns raised by the operators deserve serious and respectful engagement. He warned that the public transportation sector is too important to be managed through threats, unilateral declarations, or the exclusion of stakeholders from decision-making.
The strike action has again placed the fare dispute under public scrutiny, with commuters caught between operators who say they can no longer absorb rising costs and a government that insists no fare increase has been authorised.
