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Momodou
Denmark
11698 Posts |
 Posted - 04 Apr 2011 : 20:27:07
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DailyNews Editorial:Fuel Price Drives Fare Increases
Monday, April 04, 2011
The increase in transport fares attributed to the hike in fuel prices has added onto the burden on average Gambians in the face of souring prices of essential commodities. Poverty, too, is increasing at an unacceptable rate.
Commuters, especially those travelling to and from far places to work are in a dilemma. Many workers, particularly civil servants who travel from the Kanifing Municipality, North Bank Region and West Coast Region to work in Banjul or vice versa are occupied with thoughts of how to cope with the new trend.
The fares for Banjul to Serrekunda which was at D8.00 is now increased to D10.00, Banjul to Tabokoto has also increased from D10.00 to D12.00.
To travel from Banjul to Brikama now cost passengers D20.00. The fares for Banjul to big provincial town like Basse, Soma are all increased by D5.00, which means to reach Basse a passenger has to pay D235 instead of D220 and the Soma which was D100 is now D105.
There are complaints that there should be a decision to revise the fares by transporters who are economically responding to the hike in fuel prices by preparing a fare list through the National Transport Control Association which indicates the increment of fares for different parts of the country.
What made the problem worse is the death of the public transport cooperation, which has been facilitating transportation for the poor and low income group.
There is fear that further price hike may occur. In situations like that drivers raise their transport rates to survive and so customers are the ones who will suffer from the hikes.
The increase is adversely affecting the people belonging to the poor and middle class who are already burdened beyond their capacity. The government should sometimes be ready to bear some of the burdens by giving subsidy to the groups like transporters to make life easier for people.
It is observed that the only development that may change the position of drivers is when fuel prices drop as they have made their position known that they are survivors of the time as any Gambian; one has to buy a bag of rice, give fish money for the day’s meal every morning before going to work, school fees for children and utilities bills at home.
If Gambians frequently watch the head of state on GRTS TV dishing out money to groups, sponsoring competitions then why not give subsidies to transporters, importers and producers of daily commodities to make life easy for the low income earning group?
There is nothing that can drastically change people’s perception of a government than the increasing difficulties, especially when people can no longer afford their basic and essential need. The suffering of the people should be alleviated.
Source: Dailynews
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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kobo
United Kingdom
7765 Posts |
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turk
USA
3356 Posts |
Posted - 04 Apr 2011 : 22:14:59
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Gambia needs some money and policy change for this.
The main issue is: lack of public transportation. Gambia needs bigger vehicles to meet the following objectives.
- To reduce negative environment impact by more vehicles.
- To improve the efficiency of transportation so less trafic
- Economic efficiency that would reflect the reduced cost for ordinary citizens
Obstacles
Lack of money from government
Pressure from taxi/minibus drivers
One obstacle is taxi drivers. If there is any public transportation initiative, there will be resistance from the taxi drivers. When my town, with the legislation change, became under Istanbul Municipal Metro, there was an opportunity to use the public transportation system of the Istanbul Metro, but local taxi/minivan drivers my town objected that move. Once they attacked the bus from metro Istanbul to stop their service. Hey, this is all about their family. They are earning money. And there are other families who are paying a lots of money for transportation. So the decision must consider both.
Here was the solution. Metro Istanbul did not provide their buses for my town. But they kind of privatize their buses to local business. Basically, from one to 10 taxi/minivan owners sold their vehicles and buy big buses which were operated for transportation.
How government helped: they provided interest free loan, tax reduction of sales/purchase transaction of vehicles. They create cooperative for public transporation. Basically, regulation was provided by government, but private business had right to operate the transportation. |
diaspora! Too many Chiefs and Very Few Indians.
Halifa Salah: PDOIS is however realistic. It is fully aware that the Gambian voters are yet to reach a level of political consciousness that they rely on to vote on the basis of Principles, policies and programmes and practices. |
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monday
43 Posts |
Posted - 04 Apr 2011 : 23:45:36
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| People should consider using bikes. I would also urge the government to reconsider "The Bicycle License Act", please. The funny thing is, in Gambia fares would go up with any slightest increase in petrol prices BUT would NEVER go down even if the price of petrol has reduced. Huh!!! What I realised is that in Gambia, we like using cars. We should have bicycle lanes. This would help a lot. you can easily cycle to work and other places of interest, just leave early enough. For example, I see no reason for someone standing at Westfield Junction for a good 1/2 hr asking for lift to go to GTTI, Jimpex, Stadium, Traffic Light Tabokoto or even Bakau. You can reach any of these places within the 1/2 hr you spent baking for lift. I must admit getting to Tabokoto would be hard due the busy traffic that's why I said, bicycle lanes would help a lot and would make a different. |
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toubab1020
12306 Posts |
Posted - 05 Apr 2011 : 01:35:15
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Turk,all very good and correct,excellent ideas,for Turkey great,but Gambia is not Turkey,although Gambia has the extended family idea that is for economic reasons,although your ideas are also for economic reasons you would not get minibus drivers and taxi drivers to work in a co operative manner,to band together and take a loan they wouldn't do that, The Government has no money to give grants or any aid,Gambians have this dislike of mechanical things and will do all in their power to make vehicles have faults, mechanics fix one fault and then make another just to get their living by having the vehicle off the road for repair.There was a Lebonese man who did just as you suggested some years ago and imported a fleet of orange Ex Spainish busses,these broke down one by one and were all broken within a year.There is in existance a large bendy bus that plys Banjul to Tabakoto.Your idea is economically sound without doubt but it does not accord with Gambian thinking.Oh,yes I forgot there is the famous fleet of NEW GREEN BUSSES that are in business in the Gambia,the owner of which is known but NEVER SPOKEN about these vehicles are working well and making lots of money,damage to them is rare other than perhaps due to an accident they run well, "the owner ""would be very displeased if his busses experienced problems and the person who caused the problem would have a "VERY BIG PROBLEM".
GPTC had a new fleet of TATA busses from India,some time ago they lasted perhaps a year and then suffered "breakdowns".
Sorry Turk your idea would not work in Gambia.
quote:
Originally posted by turk
Gambia needs some money and policy change for this.
The main issue is: lack of public transportation. Gambia needs bigger vehicles
Obstacles
Lack of money from government
Pressure from taxi/minibus drivers
One obstacle is taxi drivers. If there is any public transportation
Here was the solution. Metro Istanbul did not provide their buses for my town. But they kind of privatize their buses to local business. Basically, from one to 10 taxi/minivan owners sold their vehicles and buy big buses which were operated for transportation.
How government helped: they provided interest free loan, tax reduction of sales/purchase transaction of vehicles. They create cooperative for public transporation. Basically, regulation was provided by government, but private business had right to operate the transportation.
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"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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toubab1020
12306 Posts |
Posted - 05 Apr 2011 : 01:39:00
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Where would the average Gambian get the money to buy a bike ? even the most ramshackle bike costs about D400 and then there is the bike tax.Gambia just wants to stand still and live in the past.
quote:
Originally posted by monday
People should consider using bikes. I would also urge the government to reconsider "The Bicycle License Act", please. The funny thing is, in Gambia fares would go up with any slightest increase in petrol prices BUT would NEVER go down even if the price of petrol has reduced. Huh!!! What I realised is that in Gambia, we like using cars. We should have bicycle lanes. This would help a lot. you can easily cycle to work and other places of interest, just leave early enough. For example, I see no reason for someone standing at Westfield Junction for a good 1/2 hr asking for lift to go to GTTI, Jimpex, Stadium, Traffic Light Tabokoto or even Bakau. You can reach any of these places within the 1/2 hr you spent baking for lift. I must admit getting to Tabokoto would be hard due the busy traffic that's why I said, bicycle lanes would help a lot and would make a different.
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"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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