Plans to launch a national bus company by January 2026 have stirred debate in Belize’s transportation sector, with the Ministry of Transport facing pushback from private bus operators concerned about transparency and profitability.
Today, Transport MinisterDr. Louis Zabaneh sought to address the concerns and clarify the government’s approach.
The Belize Bus Owners Association has voiced resistance to the initiative, demanding detailed financial information and assurances before supporting the plan. Minister Zabaneh acknowledged that these details are not yet finalised, stressing the importance of accuracy before releasing numbers.
“When I spoke to Mr. Shaw I said we discussed these two or three times already, we cannot give them that information until we do the evaluation,” Dr. Zabaneh explained. “We need the data, the information, otherwise it would be guestimates. When it is off they will see, ‘oh you see you are giving us wrong information and trick us.’ We have to do this thing the right way. Give us the time that is necessary for the auditors to do their work and then present us with the data and we can take that data and provide proper information.”
He further described that once evaluations are complete, the government will be able to provide bus operators with clear comparisons between their current earnings and the potential income from shares in the national company. “You can say this is what you are doing right now. This is what the national company is doing and based on your shares see what your income will look like,” the Minister said.
The Bus Owners Association insists that without fare increases, the national company will struggle to be profitable. Minister Zabaneh refuted this, pointing instead to revenue losses due to theft by some conductors and drivers.
“What is happening right now is that a lot of people, especially conductors and drivers, are stealing the money. Let us be plain,” said Dr. Zabaneh. “That means your revenue could have been up here. So now you will get more of your money. It does not mean prices will go up. It just means what is due to the owners of these buses is coming to them.”