Are Bus Terminals Worth More Than NBC Will Pay?
Public Service Union (PSU) President Dean Flowers says the government must ensure that the National Bus Company (NBC) pays a premium to use public bus terminals, arguing that the revenue generated by those facilities should be reflected in any lease agreement.
“The terminals that will now be at their disposal generate hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars annually,” Flowers said.
He noted that the proposed arrangement contemplates a long-term lease for NBC to use the facilities, but the terms of that agreement have not been disclosed.
“The lease has to take that into consideration and has to charge a premium because now the NBC, which is a private company with private shareholders, including the government, gets to exploit and use these things,” Flowers said.
“We need to ensure that the Belizean people is not simply subsidising the cost of running these assets for the benefit of private owners,” he added.
Flowers’ concerns come as the Senate considers the proposed bus concessions for NBC. During Thursday’s sitting, the motions seeking limited and exclusive concessions along the Western and Southern Corridors were referred to the Constitution and Foreign Affairs Committee for further deliberation.