The President of the Gros Islet Minibus Association has highlighted the need for bus drivers to undergo training, certification and anger management.
Denny Edward spoke against the backdrop of the stabbing death of thirty-year-old Chessie Sealy Monday at the Gros Islet bus stand.
A bus driver was in police custody assisting with investigations.
The deceased stabbing victim assisted as a ‘Board Man,’ registering the order in which buses arrived at the Gros Islet bus stand to facilitate orderly boarding.
He also washed buses on the stand.
According to reports, an altercation involving the deceased and a Gros Islet bus driver over the boarding procedure led to the fatal stabbing.
The Gros Islet Minibus Association President described the incident as unfortunate, saying he wished it had not happened.
Based on his information, Edward said someone should not lose his life over ‘something so petty’.
“I just want to reach out to the family of both individuals. I want to tell them hold strong and our customers, the motoring public, I want to assure them that the service, we will try our best to improve,” the Gros Islet Minibus Association President said.
“The time in the past where you could just drive a bus just because you can drive, I think the time for that is gone. We need to have drivers certified in customer training, and first aid, well-trained before you could drive a bus. That is just my view,” Edward said.
Edward made the comments during the radio call-in programme – Newsspin.
He said he was about the arrange a meeting with the Permanent Secretary or the Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport to address some long-standing issues affecting the bus sector.
Edward acknowledged that there have been ‘too many’ complaints about bus drivers.
And he spoke of the need for anger management.
“We realise we need to do a lot more with the drivers in managing their anger,” Edward said.
In addition, Edward called on the public not to let the fatal stabbing at the Gros Islet bus stand give them a bad feeling toward bus drivers.
“I know there is work to be done and we, as the Gros Islet Association, we are working on it,” he explained.
After the fact ?
I agree, bus drivers and people from other sectors should be trained in customer service if you are actually employed dealing with people on that level.
Sad it takes an incident with with dire consequence to see the need for training and certification for our bus drivers. Recommended training: Anger Management, customer service, public relations, de-escalation, empathy. Also bus drivers should not have a criminal background.
Why when thinks happen that is the time a tion has to take. Why not before. And even if some time some one have an attitude,that does not mean the person is a bad person.
With all due respect – almost every sector in St. Lucia needs serious training in more areas than one. Those who work in government, banking, healthcare and public sector act like they are gods – no bueno – it’s just a job and you are not taking it with you – so chill out and do the job you are paid to do. These are just a few of the areas where some Lucians are seriously lacking
1. Respect – treat others the way you would want to be treated – that’s all it takes
2. Customer service – stop getting personal with people – just serve the customer
3. Professionalism – some of you don’t know how act and to look clean and professional
4. Fairness – you do not have to like someone – just serve them because you are getting
paid to serve (enough with the he said she said he is going with she is going with etc.)
5. Follow protocol – don’t bypass the rules for your friends – and make life a living hell for
those you do not like and/or are jealous of very often for no reason (enough with the my
girl my boy syndrome)
6. Don’t dislike people who take pride in themselves by calling the “fresh” perhaps you can
take a page out of their book and have some pride for yourself and put some effort in
doing so.
7. If you decided not to further your education and someone else invested their time and
money at an institution of higher learning – don’t dislike them – we all have choices and
you have to live with your own choices that you made.
Tell me how driver certification could have prevented and individual who suffered a brief moment of temporary insanity, from killing the other. Many of us get angry over what some might consider trivial things or issues and in those instances, might even lose control and act in inhumane ways or utter regrettable words. This can happen to anyone of us no matter our background and training. I am a licensed firearm holder and a calm and level headed individual I think. But one day, over a minibus seat, yes you read correctly, a minibus seat, almost shot and killed an individual – a situation I and sure I would have regretted for life had it not been for the intervention of an elderly lady who quietly told me “Sir, don’t do what you are thinking of. It’s not worth it”.
On that faithful day transportation was scarce and there was a rush for the few available seats. Late into the night I managed to secure one but was asked to by a commuter to disembark in order that he gets “a squeeze by a friend in the back seat”. I did as requested and my seat was immediately taken over by the individual who told me that there was nothing I could have done about it. All on board told him that he was wrong but he insisted that I could have done nothing and that I should wait for another bus. No one at that time knew that I was in possession of a firearm nor my now deadly intention. But before the bus departed the elderly lady who spoke to me revealed that everything about me changed in an instant and I took on the appearance of pure evil. So she knew what would have followed. And indeed she was right. So as in my situation, what really makes the difference is timely human intervention. Someone out of the many present at that bus terminal could have de-escalated the situation. But we don’t intervene, preferring to be entertained to the deterrent of others.
Why can’t the president of the mini bus association invest some money on its members? Now, not only in customer relations but also how to drive, not to stop anywhere and anyhow.
Before this can be done, the untrainable must be dismissed first. Complete mental evaluation inclusive of personality disorder screenings as well. There are some demented psychopaths manning this route, who use the highway as their personal racetrack with a complete disregard to customer circumstances or woes.
This is not something new, which has just been taken place,it was there long before :
Adam+Eve+Cain hate, ❤️Abel ❗
So what did GOD gave as an exchange ❓ “JESUS”… Love ❤️one another ❗
Folks, our country has been lost since 1997 when PM Kenny Davis Anthony took over from the late Sir John George Melvin Compton. The shocking fact which most people do not realize is that the homicide rate in 1996 was 8 per year and that increased to 40 per year by 2002. This represents a 400% increase. Similarly the Debt to GBP Ratio increased astronomically in that same period to little benefit for the country. The SLP government has be in power for 4 of the last 6 terms, they are responsible. You can find these facts with a simple google search, please go make yourself wiser.
All I can say is the laclery bus drivers are one of the best disciplined drivers in stlucia when it comes to discipline, because although a lot of injustices and unfairness with no regard to them takes place on a daily bases they still manage to practice self discipline and restraint. I feel that one day they will be greatly rewarded because god sees everything
I don’t think any of what is suggested will work; [ how do you manage anger with mere words; isn’t it something deep within that must be changed?]
what do you mean by, ” bus driver ‘was’ in police custody assisting police with investigation” – has he already passed through the revolving door by the Magistrate, by posting Bail?
The dying question is WHY ANGER??? may I suggest, ‘ without a rebirth in Christian Belief it is near impossible to change’; barely some lecture otherwise wont do it.
It’s a very sad situation
However talking about customer’s service I must say talking from experience most people in St Lucia doesn’t know the definition of this term. Most time when you enter their business it’s a take or leave attitude…
Most times we have to apply common sense and things will be fun and exciting but we don’t have such sense existed nor we try to apply it coincidence
God gives all of us human common sense but not everyone uses it and that’s a problem
I totally agree with this angry management certification for bus drivers/public transportation workers not excluding taxi drivers as well but it should go way Beyone that
Police officers especially the female officers the most ingnorant and uncivilized among them like every day the eat hog sandwiches before coming on duty and want to pass on their hoggish attitude on the general public so I say anyone dealing with the general public to carry on their daily duties needs this anger management certification training full stop unless you are a pig farmer or works on a pig farm
The association cry loud when tourist doesn’t come to this banana republic. So they can earn a salary. Minibus operators some believe they doing commuters a favor and the tourism minister doesn’t get it that everyone is part and parcel of selling tourism. So in essence we must suffers because often our ignorance lead
These bus drivers are something else.
One drove off while an old woman was coming on the bus, she almost fell back. The lady asked him to apologized and he refused.
I saw another man on the bus get threatened by a bus driver, his arm was in an entire cast and he bus driver threaten to “take him out” for closing the door too hard. I watch mate and shake my head because he could see that guy was in a cast?
Smh
I’ve seen bus drivers speeding and purposely trying to hit people over and screaming “salop”
They need help and one day they might mess with the wrong person
To quote OhReally:
“the homicide rate in 1996 was 8 per year and that increased to 40 per year by 2002. This represents a 400% increase. Similarly the Debt to GBP Ratio increased astronomically in that same period to little benefit for the country. The SLP government has be in power for 4 of the last 6 terms,”
I would also include drug and alcohol test every 3 months
@the FOX – you are correct to manage anger — “something deep within that must be changed?” – no one else can help you – you have to decide and make meaningful change for yourself. To be honest, it takes transformation and a renewing of the mind.
Truly and verily :
Jesus did not Solely die on the CROSS… He died for you and me,every drop of His blood was shed for us, every step, every Humiliation,every strike…. but we kill God anyhow ❓
So the safest place to be is Within the Will of GOD….
Let us die to sin,and live for righteousness ❗
Let us put down satan’s 🐍jewel crown not even gold which we have won so wearily,and head for the Great Crown of eternal life…