Caption: (L) PMV Association
President Jack Waso, PMV operator Anis Kewa, and operator Mefi Koka.
By MATTHEW VARI
Sunday, May 8, 2016 (Sunday Chronicle, PNG)
PUBLIC Motor Vehicle operators in the nation’s capital operating 112 buses along various routes in the nation’s capital has revealed that their drivers and crews are the major causes of PMV strikes in the city.
The revelations puts to rest many perceptions held by the general public and the media who have constantly branded the operators as the major instigator of such industrial actions that greatly inconvenience public commuters.
In a forum meet organised by the Land Transport Board (LTB) on Monday at the Gateway Hotel in Port Moresby, operator expressed frustration at the branding of them as the main instigators of abrupt strikes in the city’s PMV system following various law and order issues during PMV operation in the past.
Long time PMV operator, Anis Kewa, told the board that there are two sets of individuals involved in PMV bus operations consisting of the operators and their operating crews.
“What I want to say is that we as PMV bus operators we have two individuals that operate our vehicles,” Mr Kewa said.
“Those incidents that occurred, me as an operator will tell you all that those problems are not initiated by operators.”
“I see the city growing and I know that there are people out there for me to make money, and through the banks, I acquire loans to ensure that I make use of the opportunity to make that money.”
“However, most of the time the major problems we face that is faced by your department, general public and ourselves is the boss crews.”
“Honestly speaking down from the bottom of my heart and I want to tell you that it is not my problem.”
He said crews who operate in various PMVs who get wind that a member of their ethnic group has been affected tend to get involved, but also stated that police were also slack in attending to situations that could be resolved, but were escalated at the bus stop due to inaction by law enforcers.
“I agree as an operator that incidents are isolated and the police is there, which should be solved, however, all other PMVs traveling in the city do not know that incident.”
“I want to put my bus there but if they damage it and destroy the glass when they arrive there when police have not contained the situation, I want to send in my bus but if they damage the glasses or hit them. Who will take responsibility, transport- police?”
“If the police are there every little problem should be handled before they escalate, if that is the case we will not see the kind of problem we are seeing now,” Kewa explained.
Kewa called for branding of operators as the ones responsible for the strike was not the case, which other operators present agreed to.
“Me as an operator I want to provide the best service I can with the aspirations of the Department of Transport but it is the drivers and offsiders (boss crews) that go ahead to conduct their own stop work.”
“Do not think we are always calling for the strikes- that is not our idea that is their own. The incident occurred due to the offside and driver.”
“This is a one off illegal strike which they themselves conducted without the consent of the Department of Transport and operators,” he added.
Meanwhile RTB Chairman and Transport Secretary, Roy Mumu, informed operators of his intensions to meet with Police Commissioner Gary Baki to discuss the operators concerns of police response.
“In reference to the law and order issue I hope to meet with the police commissioner so that we address it, separating the law and order issue to a public transport issue,” Mumu said.
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