By Marvin Cato | HGP Nightly News|
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA — Public Works Minister Juan Edghill said Monday that the Government of Guyana has neither approved nor sanctioned any increase in fares across the country’s modes of public transportation, even as opposition Member of Parliament Vincenroy Jordan said fares have, in fact, risen across the country and that commuters need protection from the impact.
Minister Edghill, whose portfolio includes the transport sector, made the comments during an engagement with public transportation operators at Stabroek Market Square in central Georgetown, and in a subsequent press statement.
“There Is No Increase in Fares”
“As of now, there is no increase in fares,” the Minister said during the engagement.
He reiterated that the Government has neither approved nor sanctioned any increase in fares across all modes of public transportation — including minibuses, hire cars, speedboats, and airport taxis.
The Minister said no commuter — “no Guyanese citizen, no tourist, no child, no worker, no anyone” — is forced to pay an increased fare. He also said no driver has the authority to put a passenger out of a vehicle for refusing to pay unapproved fares.
The Minister urged commuters who are required to pay increased fares or who experience harassment from operators to report the matter to the relevant authorities, saying decisive action would be taken.
Opposition: Increases Are Happening Regardless
A separate response from APNU Member of Parliament Vincenroy Jordan, in an exclusive interview with HGP Nightly News, argued that whatever the Government’s official position, the experience of commuters on the ground is that fares have increased.
“The facts on the ground are that transportation fares countrywide have increased,” Jordan said. He said what the Government should be focused on is how to ensure that ordinary Guyanese are not made to pay those increases.
Jordan argued that the Government must demonstrate, through implemented policies and concrete measures, how it intends to reduce both the cost of operation for transport providers and the cost of transportation for commuters — creating a level playing field for both sides.
He said the rise in transportation costs has caused increased hardship for Guyanese in their daily lives, particularly for working people who depend on public transportation as part of their routines.
A Public Utility
The Minister’s engagement with operators came against the backdrop of growing reports of arbitrary fare increases being charged across the country. Public transportation in Guyana is classified as a public utility, and passengers are legally protected against price gouging under the relevant statutory framework.
What the Dispute Is Really About
The exchange between the Minister and the opposition reflects a broader tension between official transport policy and operational reality. The Minister’s position — that no increases have been approved — does not, on its own, prevent operators from charging them. The opposition’s position — that increases are occurring regardless and citizens are bearing the cost — points to a gap between policy and enforcement.
What appears to be at issue, beneath the political back-and-forth, is whether the Government’s response is sufficient to actually protect commuters: whether the reporting mechanisms the Minister referenced are effective, whether enforcement is being carried out, and whether the underlying economic pressures driving operators to charge more (fuel costs, vehicle maintenance, insurance) are being addressed by the Government.
