PARAMARIBO - Private bus owners have been struggling with huge problems for over a year now. They not only find it extremely difficult to replace their buses but it is also difficult for them to get a permit extension.
Rawien Bajnath, spokesman of the Private Bus Owners Organization, explained that it currently takes about 4 to 5 months to process requests. This results in huge financial problems for bus owners who are dependent on their bus to make a living. Bajnath pointed out that some of the bus owners have already waited 5 months for permission to drive the new bus that has replaced the old one. “The situation is extremely difficult for entrepreneurs who have purchased a new bus because they cannot deploy the new one. When you buy a new bus, you must be able to drive it as soon as possible. If you have to wait 4 to 5 months, it becomes a huge problem,” said Bajnath who added that the situation becomes worse when the old bus is no longer being used. It is unclear where the requests remain stuck. The illegal buses are also a big problem. There are bus drivers who are active on the Paramaribo-Lelydorp route although they do not have a permit. This issue was discussed with the minister of Justice and Safety about a month ago. The order was then given to tackle the illegal buses. Bajnath explained that the problem will not go away as long as the illegal buses are not tackled on a regular basis.
