School children short of public transportation

Editor: In North Leeward many school children can be seen struggling to get transportation to go to school in Kingstown and get home after school. But as we know, a story has many sides. So it is with this problem.{{more}}

There are some buses that do not carry school children because to them it is not profitable while there are others who would normally carry school children. Many of the bus operators complain that some children pay fares that are well below the required amount, thus they refuse to carry them.

On the other hand, there are some school children who refuse to travel in certain vans, because to them they do not have the music they want, they are not traveling fast enough or the drivers or conductors are not the persons who would give them a free ride or have a relationship with them.

These problems have caused even the good school children who have the correct bus fare and are genuinely interested in reaching school on time or not generally interested in love affairs with the driver or conductor or not interested in the music to suffer. They many times arrive at school late and return home late.

To the bus drivers who deliberately refuse to carry school children, the NOBA should ensure that this practice is not carried on. I further recommend that there be a regular “Big Bus” provided to carry school children from North Leeward to Kingstown. Some arrangement should be worked out with the government.

Also if the rural secondary schools are upgraded to the level of most schools in Kingstown where all the subjects are offered, then it would minimize this problem.

To the parents, it is important that they give their children the correct bus fare so as to prevent their children being left behind. Also the NOBA should ensure that the correct fares for school children are publicized.

After all, the children are the men and women of tomorrow. Many of these buses which deny these children transportation are eager for them and their parents to ride their buses when it is not school time or when they grow older.

Kennard King