Novelo’s busses sabotaged
The Novelo’s Bus company and its multi-million dollar fiasco with D.F.C. has largely faded from the public spotlight, but a recent incident which took a number of the company’s buses out of commission is a stark reminder that the Novelo’s bankruptcy has not been forgotten–at least not by one malicious person, or persons. Patrick Jones reports from West Collet Canal.
Patrick Jones, Reporting
Half a dozen busses, just like these, have been grounded at the company’s Benque Viejo terminal since March twenty-seventh when they mysteriously developed engine problems. Sources tell News 5 someone added brown sugar to the engines, but management said merely they were investigating the presence of a “foreign substance.” Gaylene Tesucum is the Public Relations Officer for the Novelo?s Bus Company.
Gaylene Tesucum, P.R. Officer, Novelo?s
“Six of our buses we found the engines were tampered with. It?s under police investigations, so we leave that up to the authorities to come to the conclusion.”
While the police investigation is still ongoing, the management of Novelo?s has refrained from speculating on who might have sabotaged the buses. Tesucum says the vehicles were parked at the compound on the night of March twenty-six, and readied for the early morning run to Belize City. When the buses went down, one by one with the same mechanical problem, it left dozens of commuters stranded on the Western Highway.
Gaylene Tesucum
“There were slight delays, given the circumstance but we had resources, other buses at our disposal, so we put them into the northern and western route and we’ve covered the schedule, so our schedule is on target.”
But while the schedule is back on track, passengers between Belmopan and San Ignacio are having a difficult time knowing which bus to board, as many of the ones used exclusively for express runs have now been pressed into service on the regular run. Tesucum says the kinks in the system will work themselves out shortly, but that the busses are safe to ride.
Gaylene Tesucum
“We can assure the public that we have expert mechanics and skilled workers working on the busses. We have daily routines that we check the bus. And we do daily maintenance as we make sure that the busses are up and running for the next scheduled runs. So we can assure the public that we have safe driving equipment out there and we are looking to improving overall transportation experiences for the entire public.”
Patrick Jones, for News 5.
A member of the management team installed after the D.F.C. foreclosed tells News 5 that restoring the damaged busses will cost over one hundred and fifty thousand dollars, money that is not so easy to come by given the company’s financial woes. Police say they have taken statements from Novelo’s workers, including the drivers and mechanics who have been cooperative, but are no closer to solving the mystery than when the incident was reported. The O.C. for Benque told News 5 that samples taken from the engines have been sent for analysis, but the results are not in as yet.
