By Belize Live News Staff: Opposition Leader Tracy Taegar Panton is calling for urgent action following reports that school bus drivers contracted by the Ministry of Education have not been paid for three weeks.
Panton said the drivers have reportedly been forced to strike simply to collect money already owed to them.
In a strongly worded statement titled “Make It Make Sense!”, she argued that the situation affects not only the bus operators but also students and families who depend on school transportation.
Panton also took aim at the Government over its handling of the wider public transportation sector.
She pointed to the Government’s decision to use its parliamentary majority to facilitate exclusive permits for the National Bus Company along the Western and Southern routes, questioning why similar urgency could not be shown in paying school bus operators.
Panton said the drivers must meet fuel costs, maintain their vehicles, support their families and pay their bills.
“Neither Bus Operators nor Students and their families should be placed in such an unnecessary predicament,” she said.
The Opposition Leader urged the Government to resolve the reported payment issue and ensure that essential school transportation services are not disrupted.
