It is a “matter of fairness” that had the Grenville Bus Association (GBA) request assistance from the Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF), the Ministry of Infrastructure Development and security personnel to secure the parking area overnight.
“Parking today for tomorrow is not fair,” president of the GBA Abraham Munroe told The Grenadian Voice on Thursday (Jan 28).
On any given day, more than 400 buses are in and out of the busy Terminal plying several traffic zones. Among those are the 63 members of the GBA, of whom three have taken to leaving their buses in the parking area overnight. Come morning, they are first in line to take on passengers heading for Saint George’s.
“They have an advantage by doing that,” Munroe said, adding that no other drivers from any of the zones are parking their buses in the Terminal overnight. The association wrote letters to the Ministry, which manages the facility until that responsibility is handed over to the Grenada Ports Authority, and to the RGPF. The Ministry gave permission for the GBA to put a chain at the entrance with clear signage. Security personnel remove and secure the chain in keeping with the 10 pm to 5 am curfew.
“We also gave keys for the lock to the Ministry and the police,” Munroe added.
The move is “fully endorsed” by the RGPF, Superintendent Sylvan McIntyre, officer responsible for the Eastern Division, told this newspaper.
“Law enforcement supports a system that is fair and reasonable. It is a good procedure to control and manage operations at the Terminal,” he said.
Since the procedure was implemented a few days ago, Munroe said the three drivers continued leaving their buses overnight.
“They park up in the day so they are still there in the morning,” he said.
Supt McIntyre said any driver not abiding by the procedure and expects to be first in line will not be tolerated. He said the RGPF will support the GBA to ensure the first bus to enter the Terminal will be the first to take passengers. As for the buses that remain overnight, drivers who ignore the requests from the GBA to stop the practice will be told to do so by the police.
An official from the Ministry said the GBA made the right decision to seek permission to put the chain in place.
“This is important for law and order and having the association involved is better for everyone. Without that kind of interest in the community, you can end up with chaos,” the official warned.
