Owner of Ritchie’s Bus Company Shifts to Restaurant and Entertainment

And now to the latest in the transport sector, last night’s news about tax exemptions for the importation of Florala’s fleet will undoubtedly keep the bus operators critical about the government’s improvement plan for the sector. While this is a long-standing issue, the cancellation of the permit for Ritchies was a turning point for this issue. Today, we spoke to the man behind Ritchies, who has been executing the Belize City Placencia run for the past fourteen years. For Dalmon Ritchie, since the Department of Transport informed him that his permit would not be renewed because his company had not met the requirements set out for all bus companies, Ritchie has had to park his buses and let go of his drivers and conductors. Today he spoke to News 5 about what’s next.

Voice of: Dalmon Ritchie, Owner, Ritchie’s Bus Company

“Mi wife got a lee restaurant weh wi di try an do but business is not great fi pay off wa loan, sixty, seventy-five thousand dollars worth ah loan da nuh no joke fi pay. The requirement is to get new buses.”

Marion Ali

“Have you gotten any?”

Voice of: Dalmon Ritchie

“No ma’am. I buy one in the States and I got sick and I came back home and I had planned to go back and get it but by the time came to go back I get this letter that they will take me off the road and they won’t renew my permit.”

Marion Ali

“What does this mean for your bus company?”

Voice of: Dalmon Ritchie

“Well, ah bankrupt cause wi can’t pay the bank. I think deh wa come deal with me and mi house.”