A new disciplinary committee for Saint Lucia’s public transport sector should be in place within the next two months.
“We are expecting to have this disciplinary committee in less than two months,” National Council on Public Transportation (NCOPT) President Godfrey Ferdinand told St. Lucia Times.
NCOPT executive had a highly productive Friday meeting with Transport Minister Stephenson King and other Ministry officials, making significant strides towards establishing the body.
The NCOPT said the meeting, which addressed outstanding matters affecting the public transport sector, was long overdue.
Ferdinand disclosed that the disciplinary committee would include a member of the public and representatives of the Ministry of Transport and the NCOPT.
He explained that the delay in the committee’s establishment was due to the legal process involved.
Each minibus association under the NCOPT already has a disciplinary board, which, if it cannot resolve a case, refers the matter to the umbrella body.
However, the new government-approved disciplinary committee will function as a body of last resort if a serious matter still remains unresolved.
“Some of these matters require suspension of permits and permits being revoked,” NCOPT President Godfrey Ferdinand observed.
He stated that only the Ministry of Transport can do so.
Ferdinand expressed that minibus operators would be on their guard with the Government-approved disciplinary committee in place.
“Over the years, some operators would even say nobody can touch them because they knew there was not a legal framework to suspend or revoke their permits,” the NCOPT President told St. Lucia Times.
“The driver-operator will be held responsible, but also the owner of the vehicle will be equally responsible for hiring somebody that is putting the owner’s permit at risk,” Ferdinand stated.
How can this work when the biggest minibus association is not a member of the NCOPT, who will take discipline actions against those members.
I think the legal frame work is in play but we don’t have the legal mind to represent such. It is disgusting to know that in St. Lucia, that when an entity regardless of an individual or company decided to served the interest of the people are somehow of the belief they rule what happens. This s*** will never be entertained in Trinidad, Jamaica, Barbados, Guyana.. and even beyond. While the association is just a representative of the minibuses, the association is not the governing body it is the ministry. But the NCOPT want to flunk themselves, which is riddle with corruption in its entirety they cannot function in a transparency way. In most countries there is a body called the public service utilities commission which regulate all public services. Space will not permit but we living in a hog wash society hence living with this foolishness. Some of the commuter buses are not adequately ventilated in terms of windows, some have non functional AC system and we complain about global warming. When you’re equally giving license to those inadequate operative bus to served the public interest. This is completely nonsense beyond… For God sake put a training program I place where anyone who desire to drive a public bus or taxi to be adequately trained to served the people.. you consider the island as tourist destination and your service is horrible.. come on ppl.