| The Guyana Public Transportation Association has succeeded in dissuading police officials from making key changes in its rerouting exercise.The Association had mounted a legal protest against a proposed change issued for minibuses plying the Kitty/Campbellville routes. The motion was filed by Attorney-at-Law Saphier Husain, on behalf of Nicholas Nnamani and Compton Giddings who represents the Association.Justice Jainarayan Singh made an order instructing Acting Police Chief Henry Greene and Traffic Chief Neil Semple to explain the reason behind the selected route change which diverted from the original path. After given time to prepare a defence,Artemi Panarin Jersey, Attorney General Doodnauth Singh indicated that they were no longer interested in pursuing the changes.He stated that the minibuses will be allowed to maintain their original routes.The Association had asked for an order prohibiting Greene and Semple from instituting the proposed timetable for the Kitty/Campbellville zone.In the Notice of Motion, the applicants said the present route follows the previous Motor Transport and GTSL service which has been in operation for over 100 years.The route will now remain; south on Cornhill Street, east onto Brickdam, north into Manget Place and along King Street, east into Regent Street, north on Vlissengen Road, into Irving Street,Deion Sanders Falcons Jersey, to JB Singh Road, East onto Bar Street, then north on Alexander Street onto David Street.On the return journey the buses would drive; south on Alexander Street, west onto Bar Street, south into Vlissengen Road, west on Regent Street,NFL Jerseys Cheap China, south on Avenue of Republic,China Jerseys Cheap, west on Croal Street and into the Stabroek area.The police had proposed that the minibuses on the return journey turn off Regent,Andre Branch Dolphins Jersey, south into Albert Street,Brad Richards Red Wings Jersey, east on Croal Street and into Stabroek Market.The Association said the diversion would have adversely affected its members and would have inconvenienced embarking and disembarking passengers along Regent Street from Albert Street to Avenue of the Republic.In the motion, Giddings and Nnamani said that Sophia and South buses and other regular traffic have already absorbed passengers along that route.They contended that the proposed route would have only added to the traffic congestion on the Croal Street lane.The Association also thinks that the proposed change was unilaterally and arbitrarily imposed by the agents and servants of the Guyana Police Force.“At no time whatsoever was the Association or its members ever given a hearing or proper notice,” the Association heads said.They added that a public notice was issued to persons acquiring Road Service licence that the grace period would end on March 5, 2008.According to them, members attempted to apply for renewal but the licence office at the Brickdam Police Station claimed they only had authority to issue licences for minibuses with the new route changes.“On enquiring, the said agents of the Traffic Police stated that we have to follow and abide by the arbitrary change of route without consent.”However, the minibus owners remarked that the new route would have caused hardship to drivers and conductors as well as commuters on Regent Street.“We were advised that the route was changed in an unreasonable manner, failing to take relevant consideration to pensioners and commuters travelling to the Guyana Post Office.”They said the action by police was unreasonable and oppressive with ulterior motive and irrelevant consideration for the travelling public.“We are informed and belief from members of the public that the said action was to pave the way for taxi drivers …but the said act of the police was without legal authority and contrary to the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Regulation Chapter 51:02 of the Laws of Guyana and violates Article 142 and 149 of the Constitution by deprivation of earnings and discriminatory restriction,” the Association stated. |
