Novelo Brothers’ spokesman says their new routes were approved

And while Kevan Jenkins told us off camera that the Traffic Department has not received any proposal from the Novelo brothers for the new bus run, Spokesperson for Arrowline, Philip Jones, said they have proof of the proposal and did get the approval for it.

Philip Jones, Spokesperson, Arrowline Services

“We have Belize Intransit; we have been running from 1978. We have Belize Intransit and we have the metro. We’ve just introduced the Arrowline, which is an air-conditioned high end coach that offer full air-condition and seats up to thirty passengers. This is a separate service from Belize Intransit and Belize Metro. I would just like to inform the general public that Belize Intransit will still remain at the same price which is a dollar, and Belize Metro. But now the Arrowline will be a dollar for students in uniform and two dollars for adults or passengers who would chose to ride the luxury coach. We want to put modem on these Arrowline coaches so that customers can access wireless internet. We had put the service on a trial basis and we would like to urge the customer that if there is any concern or any complain they can contact me at 632-0182; Philip Jones, at anytime.”

Marion Ali

“What the traffic manager told me that he is not aware of this proposal. Is that an untruth?”

Philip Jones

Philip Jones

“Well, I can’t talk for him, but I can talk for me that I was active in this proposal because I was one of the persons who was an advisor for the proposal at the time and we had made arrangement and approval was granted. So we implemented the service.”

Marion Ali

“This proposal that you’ve provided has no date on it and the traffic manager has told us that they have received no such proposal from the company that you represent. So how then would the company, why would the company go ahead and introduce a run without getting the approval of the Traffic Department?”

Philip Jones

“No well, I can assure you that we had received the approval for the same run, for the same service with the Belize City Council, it was in 2009, July. The City Council is a body and we had had approval.”

Marion Ali

“But those runs aren’t they good only for a while and then expire after that they expire?”

Philip Jones

“Yes well it is depending on the government body or the government official or the councilors, you can issue up to what they choose or say.”

Marion Ali

“How long was it good for?”
Philip Jones

“We had received this from 2009, July up until 2014. But we had submitted the proposal to the City Council and it was approved and we feel that it was time for us to provide this service so we had implemented it since last week Monday. We have been sensitizing the public informing them of the service is an additional service from Belize Intransit and Belize Metro and that it will come at a cost at two dollars for adults and one dollar for students in uniform.”

In tomorrow’s newscast we’ll have more from the Traffic Department.