Bus Association Writes Transport Minister for Relief

Ewart Metzgen

Public transportation is necessary for the movement of people who go to work or shop. Ewart Metzgen says that one of the requests being made by the Belize Bus Association is for the government to subsidize fuel in order for the bus operations to meet the operational cost. 

Ewart Metzgen, Secretary, BBA

“We are also asking them that if we get the fuel we can maybe stay on the road as long as we can and a part for what we need to pay salaries. That is what is killing us. Two thirds of what we make goes into fuel. It takes between five hundred dollars or a little more to pertain a bus per day. So we are operating far below that five hundred dollars a day right.”

Hipolito Novelo

“How long would you say that buses can stay on the road without any help from the government?”

Ewart Metzgen

“I’ll put it at maybe another five to six days the most.”

Hipolito Novelo

“With a confirmed case in Belize City, wouldn’t it be better if no buses are running?”

Ewart Metzgen

“I’ll give you my opinion and this is the opinion of a lot of our people too, I’ll say for us to close it down. We bus a lot of people and the way things are going I don’t think we are getting enough people test to find out what is happening. We don’t know who this person is who has tested positive in the Belize District. We don’t know how much people he has contact with and if these people travel on the buses.”