The Minister used his parliamentary privilege to attack bus operators because they raised their voices about an industry that is in economic distress - Serevi

The Fiji Bus Operators Association says the Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum’s comments that bus operators were not telling the public that they could go through the Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission to request a fare increase, are false.

Bus Operators Association spokesperson, Priscilla Serevi says the news release Sayed-Khaiyum was reacting to specifically stated that bus operators would be meeting with the FCCC in the coming week and hoped for a positive outcome from that meeting.

Serevi says Sayed-Khaiyum implied that bus operators had threatened the government and Fijians, and wanted ‘special conditions’ given to them.

She says this was not the case because the industry red-flagged that if no assistance is provided then the industry will come to a halt as operators will not be able to pay for fuel, leave alone other expenses.

The bus operators say the record needs to be set straight about the true state of the industry and about the measures taken to keep services going, after comments in Parliament by the Minister for Economy.

Serevi says during the debate on the Revised National Budget last Friday, the Minister used his parliamentary privilege to attack bus operators simply because they raised their voices about the reality of the matter regarding an industry that is in economic distress.

She says Sayed-Khaiyum’s comments detract from the real issue, which is that bus operators simply cannot continue to function in a safe and efficient manner because economic realities always trump political expediency.

Serevi says several bus companies are already on mortgage sale, with more surely to follow.

She says even if bus operators can miraculously keep refuelling their buses, when banks and other creditors start taking action because of unpaid debts, bus services will be disrupted and operators will be out of business anyway.

The spokesperson says the Minister further suggested that some bus operators had previously misused government assistance to the industry for their personal gain. She says if he has evidence of such dealings, these operators should be prosecuted since nobody is above the law.

Serevi says it is unbecoming of a Minister in his position to launch such an attack when the targets will not be able to legally defend themselves.

Serevi says it is sad that the Minister of Economy chose his parliamentary platform to respond to operators after more than a decade of them trying to get the attention of the powers-that-be focused on the state of the industry.

She also says that Sayed-Khaiyum told Parliament that bus operators had employed ‘nudge-nudge, wink-wink’ tactics to get their fare increases, which are also false.

Serevi says bus operators had been pursuing the correct regulatory avenues for years, to no avail.

She says the Economy Minister seems to suggest that it was wrong for operators to seek discussions with the Minister responsible for Transportation about their issues, including their request for a fare review.

He also suggested it was wrong to meet the Prime Minister when all reasonable avenues to seek redress were exhausted.

Serevi says previously, the Land Transport Authority was responsible for setting bus fares and bus operators had in August 2018 applied for a fare review, almost 10 years after the last bus fare increase.

She says the LTA refused to accept the application.

Serevi says the regulatory rules were then suddenly changed, and the FCCC was given the responsibility to set the fares.

Bus operators then made their application to FCCC through its Independent Bus Fare Review Committee.

The spokesperson says this review committee required bus operators to submit financial accounts, which bus operators complied with.

Serevi says the bus operators even adopted a resolution at its 2019 AGM for operators to have their accounts audited annually, before the government required this of them.

She says after complying with FCCC demands, there was another long wait with no explanation for the delay until early 2020 when, after renewed calls from bus operators, the FCCC suddenly announced a nominal fare increase without any explanation for how these increases were calculated.

The spokesperson says only on 11th March 2022, did bus operators finally get the chance to discuss the proposed bus fare regulatory framework with the FCCC in a workshop in Suva.

She says it was then that operators found out that a formula had yet to be finalised and that FCCC could not adequately explain the basis for the minimal fare increase given in early 2020.

Serevi says bus operators have no intention of working against the government; they only want a fair hearing and consideration of their issues to enable them to continue serving the travelling public.

She says it is no secret that cost of living and business operating expenses have increased exponentially over the years and bus operators are legally not able to pass on any of these cost increases to the travelling public, without an approved fare increase.

She says the only way they can continue to operate is if the government gives them a lifeline.

Serevi also says buses provide daily transportation to about 70 percent of the population and they are highly aware of the impact on a great number of people if the bus industry collapses, and that is the last thing they want.