Zabaneh Pledges Continued Dialogue with Bus Operators
As the government presses ahead with plans to consolidate Belize’s public transportation system under the National Bus Company, Transport Minister Dr. Louis Zabaneh says the Ministry of Transportation will continue to engage the Belize Bus Association despite a recent change in leadership. The assurance comes as veteran bus operator Froylan Gilharry takes over from Philip Jones as BBA president, with some operators remaining skeptical of the NBC model while the government maintains that participation is voluntary and independent operators remain free to chart their own course.
Louis Zabaneh
Dr. Louis Zabaneh, Minister of Transportation
“I was hoping that that divide would close a little bit but it seems to still be there. I must say that some other members of the BBA have expressed that they’re understanding what it all means and I would hope that more of them would do so but that aside, we have said to them, if you wish to form your own company and you want to do your own thing, we will gladly share what we learned from this process to help you. You can then go to BELTRAIDE, like any other company, and you might get five or maybe even more years for a concession, we don’t know. But when you form a company, it’s the articles and memoranda that will guide how you operate. And if you apply for a concession, then there are certain conditions you have to meet. Certain high international standards that NBC has to meet. And you will have to access if you wish to go down that path. So, I believe that going forwards, we will continue to discuss and have rapport with them hopefully they can find a path that works for them.”
The Ministry of Transportation says it remains committed to working closely with the Belize Bus Association towards improving Belize’s transport industry.
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