Government has backed away from cutting or removing any of the taxes on petrol products which many blame for high prices at the pump.The alternative, Minister in the Ministry of Finance Ryan Straughn declared, would be a decline in the public services that have kept many proverbial heads above the water in the COVID-19 pandemic, and curtailed capital works projects including a massive road repair programme.Straughn on Monday revealed that massive bills from the pandemic, the ashfall from the La Soufriere volcanic eruption and, most recently Hurricane Elsa, together with a $600 million falloff in revenue have left the economy in a “delicate” state. Exacerbating the already bad situation are price increases on the world market for basic commodities, including petrol, which has climbed to $3.99 and $3.16 per litre for gasoline and diesel, respectively, at the pump.
The Alliance Owners of Public Transport (AOPT) will be formally approaching the Minister of Energy, Small Business and Entrepreneurship demanding either a reduction in the country’s exorbitant gas prices or special concessions to keep the heads of stakeholders above water.Communications, Information and Marketing Officer Mark Haynes on Monday declared that AOPT-represented taxi operators have been crippled by the pandemic and are in some cases going home empty-handed after a full day’s work.Traditional route taxis (ZR) and minibuses who continue to travel at limited capacity are also said to be ailing severely because of the steadily increasing cost of petrol, which is currently at $3.99 a litre.
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PSV operators upset about police reports
Article by July 30, 2021
Public service vehicle (PSV) operators are up in arms again over what they consider to be unnecessary actions being taken against them by police officers.
More than two years after they complained that lawmen were reporting them for working from Fairchild Street even though the Constitutional River Terminal (CRT) was closed, PSV workers say the same thing is happening again, this time behind the Bridge Street Mall.
However, Director of the Transport Authority, Ruth Holder told
Barbados TODAY that although the CRT remains open until 8 p.m. from Monday to Saturday, PSV operators still insist on leaving the terminal to pick up passengers before it closes.
PSVs ready to go electric - Barbados Today barbadostoday.bb - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from barbadostoday.bb Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.