Mother of dead passenger condemns bus company
Investigations are still being carried out into the death of Taneisha Trapp, the fifteen year old resident of Camalote, who died after stepping off a moving bus on the Western Highway, allegedly because the driver of the express bus refused to stop. On last night’s One on One with Dickie Bradley, manager of the bus line, Tony Novelo, gave his company’s side of the controversy. But when it came time for phone calls the irate mother of the deceased was not about to let his account go unchallenged.
Taniesha Trapp’s Mother
“Mr. Tony Novelo, he write in the newspapers say that he will do whatever he can to protect his driver. What happen to my child? What happen to my child? My child gone just like a piece of chicken, a piece of rotten chicken on the road. My daughter no cheap, my daughter not a dog. Mr Novelo must think, he must think before he talks. Everybody from surrounding here very mad with Mr. Novelo from the way he act right now. Especially now, I go to work and every morning I am out on the road side waiting for the bus and some a them pass me, they show me their middle finger, they do me all kinds of things. They watch me, they laugh. What do they take me for a criminal, a murderer? Mr. Novelo, they refuse to pick me up on the road, they refuse. Tell Mr. Novelo, tell Tony to tighten up, tighten up. Because my pickney life is valued more than silver and gold and more or less, my pickney life, no money can buy it, no money can replace it. I need justice, justice is what I need for the death of my child.”
Tony Novelo
“If she is having a problem with our workers, rather than calling the radio and television…I am prepared even to go an visit her because it is unfair if my employees are doing that to her. She is no criminal, she is a customer, a great customer and I can sympathise how she feels losing a child.
On the other point where she is saying that I agreed to defend my driver, no, I said my drivers has family just like her, and they depend on him, he makes his money to maintain them. This driver was being locked up in jail for three days. We did not go and visit him until the legal authorities did what they had to do and all I said over the newspaper in my interview was that if the driver, concerning the investigation from the parent’s child, from our company and police, is innocent, then we will support his innocence. But if he is guilty in being negligent, them he has to face the tune of the music. At present, we are being neutral. The lawyer got to look after himself, we’re waiting and it’s very important that police come with their investigation, with they’re charges, and we’re not interfering and we shall not interfere.”
Dickie Bradley
“Has the police indicated when the investigation will be completed, because it’s dragging on long now?”
Tony Novelo
“I think police need for people to come up. When there’s a dead person who cannot talk, it’s very difficult. We’ve got to look at different things, and I am sure that charges will come out.”
Novelo also took the opportunity to announce that his bus company will soon begin construction of a new Belize City terminal, to be located in the Lake Independence area.
