People’s National Party Slams NBC Purchase of Diesel Buses

Belize’s push toward a greener future is facing criticism tonight. The People’s National Party is taking aim at government’s reported plan to purchase up to twenty second-hand diesel buses for the National Bus Company, arguing the move contradicts the country’s environmental commitments. While officials have spoken about introducing electric buses before the end of the year, environmental advocate and PNP leader Wil Maheia says bringing in older diesel-powered vehicles, even temporarily, would undermine Belize’s efforts to position itself as a sustainable and eco-friendly nation. He is now calling on government leaders to reconsider the decision and accelerate the transition to cleaner transportation. Maheia explains why he believes the proposal sends the wrong message.

 

Wil Maheia, Leader, People’s National Party

“We are very disappointed that they will want to buy fifteen to twenty used old diesel buses, which is one of the w- which is one of the most polluting forms of transportation in the world today. Everybody’s trying to shift away from that. We who claim to be green, we need to stop talk green and really act green and be green. I would really recommend that the Minister of Sustainable Development have a chat with them, or the Prime Minister have a chat with the Minister of Transport and give him some advice because, I support what they are doing, but you can’t just be, like, bringing in these buses. You’re… On one hand, you talk about electric buses. December is only six months away. You said by the end of this year that we will have electric buses. So for six months you will go and deteriorate our environment by bringing in fifteen to twenty old buses. This is what we are trying to get away from. So I hope that Minister Habib and the Prime Minister have a serious chat with Minister Zabaneh because, especially Minister Habib, in August they are celebrating Climate Week. It’s going to be a big deal. And we are here talking through one side of our mouth about being green and the other side about bringing in the most polluted form of transportation.”

 

Zabaneh Says Commuters Deserve Better Buses Now!

 

While the National Bus Company’s plan to acquire diesel buses has drawn criticism from the People’s National Party, Minister of Transport Louis Zabaneh says the concerns overlook an important reality: commuters need reliable transportation now. According to Zabaneh, the diesel buses are intended as a temporary measure while the country works toward a complete transition to electric public transportation. He also stresses that taxpayers will not be footing the bill. Here’s how the minister responds to the criticism.

 

Dr. Louis Zabaneh, Minister of Transport

“Our plans are indeed to transition to one hundred percent electric buses by the end of next year. To go back to the records, I’ve been stating that it will take a period of time to do that. That’s the first point. Secondly we– I’d like to make it abundantly clear that it is the NBC as a private entity, a public-private partnership that would be f- would be out of its resources whether it is from the sale of older buses that are now in the fleet or from financing that it gets that will be funding the purchase of these buses. It is not state money that will be paying for that. Also we want to make it clear that those buses that are being bought is simply because the fleet that came into the NBC needs to be upgraded. So it’s not that there is a intention to make this the solution or the panacea for the problems. This is a transitional step that’s being taken where these newer diesel buses can be acquired relatively quickly. As we have stated before, the procurement of electric buses takes a period of time, and it’s not until the end of this year or so when we are going to be receiving electric buses. But we can’t have our commuters suffering from breakdowns from the fleet that we have.”

 

Dr. Zabaneh says the buses which will be purchased are far better quality than the ones currently on the road and stressed that government will not be paying for them.

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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