COVID-19 Threatens to Shut Down Transportation System
The COVID-19 pandemic is the cause of worldwide instability. Huge chunks of economies are shutting down, businesses are closing and the unemployment figures continue to rise. It is estimated that as many as twenty thousand persons have already been left jobless in Belize. The local bus industry is taking a hit, already operating in a deficit. The Belize Bus Association wrote to Minister of Transport Edmond Castro, asking the government for assistance and assurance to keep the industry up and running. The letter reads, “We desperately need your intervention in this situation, as bus companies are operating at a loss. Please note with the re-scheduling of the runs is still not feasible to cover the cost of daily expenses to operate these buses, especially for fuel and to pay employees.” Secretary for the Association, Ewart Metzgen told News Five that if the bus operators do not receive relief or assistance, they would not have any other choice, but to cease operations.
Ewart Metzgen, Secretary, BBA
“For the last couple of days our president has been dialoging and has been trying to see what sort of package the can get for us as bus operators because like every other industry that has been hit with what is taking place we have been taking a beating. We want to keep the bus running as long as we can but right now for all operators, everybody is operating at a loss. Before long we will compile all the information we both gathered and get it on one paper to try and get in the department. The Minister has promised us based on a letter sent to different departments tomorrow he would have taken our plea to Cabinet. So that is why right now we are in a bit of a rush to try and get this paper together with the financial problems that we are facing. So maybe we can know by week’s end we could start getting some sort of relief to keep these buses on the road as long as possible and as long as the government says we can stay on the road because if things turn for the worst we won’t be able to stay out there because we won’t endangered the lives of our employees.”
