GOVERNMENT BUYS EIGHT TO 10 SCHOOL BUSES

Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves is aiming to build the entrepreneurs of St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Gonsalves expressed this sentiment during a press briefing last Tuesday, May 9, at Cabinet Room.

He noted that the Government, operating through a local company, has sourced and have made the deposit to purchase eight to 10 22–26-seater school buses.

Gonsalves said that the Government would advertise the buses for persons to lease and operate, and affirms that Government would not be running the buses.

“We wiill give ‘John Browne’ a lease; what I am prepared to do is, ‘John Browne’ gets the lease, they have to pay so much a month. I will work into it to make sure the bus is insured… therefore licensed and insured. Government would put up the insurance money in it too and you work it out over a 12-month period,” the Prime Minister indicated.

He stated that the bus, passengers and third parties would be insured, as the law requires, as well as a comprehensive insurance plan “as a matter of good sense”.

“If I put a bus on the road for you for $120,000 and you sensible and you run it, within four years time I expect you from running, that you would be able to buy another bus. I want to build the entrepreneurs also,” Gonsalves said.

He pointed out that monies are put aside for farmers just like they are doing for persons who operate in Information Technology and persons who wish to construct cottages, hotels and villas in the tourism industry.