The President of the National Council on Public Transportation (NCOPT), Godfrey Ferdinand, has expressed shock over Transport Minister Stephenson King’s response to the organisation’s complaints about poor road conditions.
“I wish he would take back his words – apologise to Council,” the NCOPT President declared.
“I think the Minister should apologise publicly,” Ferdinand said.
King recently called on the NCOPT to deal with minibus operators who violate the rights of others, including young women.
“I was shocked, taken aback by this,” Council President Godfrey Ferdinand told St. Lucia Times.
He also questioned why King, a Senior Minister, would not have contacted the police.
“What do potholes have to do with disciplinary matters?” Ferdinand asked.
He disclosed that the NCOPT had written to every Transport Minister over the past fifteen years, requesting a disciplinary committee to deal with errant bus operators.
“I can give you documents or letters that we have written to every Prime Minister and Minister of Transport asking for a disciplinary committee,” Ferdinand told St. Lucia Times.
“It’s the Minister, within his Ministry, that can discipline in terms of suspending a permit or revoking a permit,” the NCOPT President explained.
“We have been begging to at least revoke the permit of individuals we know that are not abiding by the rules and regulations. What is so difficult about this that we cannot get it from any administration?” Ferdinand declared.
He recalled that the NCOPT received a promise of a disciplinary committee in July last year and a Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) report in December last year.
However, Ferdinand lamented that about a year later, the NCOPT could not get the promised disciplinary committee.
He said he did not want a war with King.
But he declared that the NCOPT, comprising about 1,400 buses, has a right to request better roads.
“We are not asking for a strike. We are just asking to fix the roads,” Ferdinand noted.
Oh Lord…….in other news today , the leader of the opposition was seen on a local beach getting a tan and looking pink like cook lobster while sipping on a Mi Tai…….he was almost unrecognizable due to the………
I thought that the minister of transport was suppose to deal with transport matters, I had no idea it included police matters. Instead of doing his job, he rather deflect from it and try to cloud people’s judgement.
King has been in this sort of Ministry for donkeys years; if you think you’ll get an answer from him, think again. PjP is the only one who will put up with the Queen; this Ministry needs someone who can get up from his seat, make frequent visits to these $m road contracts, with multiple Pot holes, make silly comments to the NCOPT Pres re: young Woman yet the pot holes remain, causing headaches & financial burdens to drivers.
This Minister should be given a rude awakening, let him sit down in the back Benches & listen to Debates, it may well be for a private person, given a contract to run this Ministry until something could be done, when Phill learn how to build a better mouse trap. Oh Lord my God grant us wisdom knowledge and Understanding at a time such as this. Amen.
You will more likely see pigs moonwalk and cows figure skating than get an apology from King. King is the classic pinup of turncoat when he defected from UWP to SLP….and although he was within his legal right to do so, the definition of a turncoat doth make unsavoury characters of most.
Duh Roads!
My eyes gaze upon this revolting thing.
Yard upon yard of asphalt that is crumbling.
Each yard has a deep, unforgiving hole.
One wrong move, could age me like Old King Cole.
I grimly ask myself, whether I should motor on this monstrosity.
Maybe it’s someone’s idea of generosity.
As I motor ahead, I hear the familiar grinding sound of metal.
Grief! Is it my ball joints or mounts that went fatal?
I have gotten fearful of the numerous ruts.
They always mean replacement of front struts.
Earlier, a friend warned about threats to the exhaust system.
Duh roads seem to have a special attraction to them.
He warned specifically about the muffler.
I will always keep him in mind, because he is no bluffer.
I can’t resist to get out and peer into the belly of duh road.
Inside are only small rocks, dust and dirt as the mother lode.
The thin-crust asphalt had done its short duty.
Ending its limited life service about day ninety.
Duh roads should never be taken for granted.
Not to be underestimated.
They can even turn a working man to a pauper.
No one is willing to say, it’s the highest order blunder.
Btw the NCOPT referenced the roads and it as Minster of Infrastructure Roads become his ministerial responsibility. The person who is legally in charge of road construction and maintenance is the CHIEF ENGINEER, But King and his boys seemed to be running a Dictatorship. He/ She is not allowed to say anything it seems. Why can’t we hear form the Chief Engineer? Let the Chie Engineer gv us the Budget, Timeline Scope of Works to repair our roads that our tax money paying. Btw am not surprised he answered u all in that manner. He can’t blame Guy and Chas now. Inept, Ignorant, Dumb, Void of Ideas and the list goes on…….
I do agree with the 0
NCOPT, our roads are in a terrible state.
The pothols are so deep.
The minister should have addressed the issue
Mr President, you have not requested an apology since you are still thinking he should apologize. Request an apology from the Minister on behalf of you Association even if you don’t want to do it personally. Write to the Minister. Are you scared?
He right to treat you all bus drivers so.
You all think things would have better for you all. All of you all were dressing in RED.
2H was the leader.
‘This is not your business ‘
Like seriously. everyone going to jump at this shait now, king is fading let his feed dead too nuh… From pro to president then to who else each bus driver?
How can the country move forward with such discord?. I don’t mean no harm ….the road repair is an URGENT matter which needs to be addressed ASAP….
Better roads will also attrack more visitors to the island, and better roads means that people’s lives will be safer. And finally, vehicle owners will have more money in their pockets because of lower repair and replacement cost. This is not rocket science, it is simple logic.
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Once again I am disheartened as to what passes for discourse in St. Lucian Society. The NCOPT president is correct when he says the response does not fit what was responded to. I am dismayed that a seasoned politician as King and a senior Government Minister behaves with a childish attitude over a legitimate concern by a section of the Citizenry. It set the tone for the nonsensical comments been seen. Have we gone so far that not even elected officials can demonstrate decorum and decency? To eco the NCOPT what is the relevance of misbehaving members of the council with Government’s duty to provide a service and the right of the representative body of a legitimate enterprise to make such request? How does the misconduct of some members negate the right of the entire body to get an appropriate response to their quest? Really? Government Ministers need to stop being thin skin, stop politicking and act as responsible statesmen and representatives of the entire society, addressing concerns with legitimate responses and if not able shut up. We are not in an election year, so King needs to put up or shut up. From UWP to SLP what over the Last 60 years has passed for legitimate governance does not pass muster and as a people we need to demand of our elected officials better representation. The ilk of John Compton started the slow dismantling of National Pride from the psyche of our people and succeeding leaders like Kenny Anthony, King and their minions have exploited that lack of National pride to the detriment of the Nation but to their embellishment of their “success Stories” of selfish ambition under the guise of enabling St. Lucians to a better life!!! Better for whom? Is it strange that we see a moral collapse of our society, a disintegration of our values, a rut that eats us from inside, a rise in crime and violence, a disillusioned citizenry, a not so astute electorate in matters of Governance, and an overall selfish morass that threatens to discombobulate an entire Nation and render its people ineffably destitute to effectively charter a course to greatness.