Mark A. Haynes, Communications and Marketing Officer for the Alliance Owners of Public Transport (AOPT).
The year 2020 has been a challenging one for the PSV sector, given the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mark A. Haynes, Communications and Marketing Officer for the Alliance Owners of Public Transport (AOPT), in an end of year message acknowledged the above, even as he encouraged public service vehicle (PSV) operators to press ahead and to be compliant with the health and safety protocols put in place to protect workers and commuters.
“This year 2020 has been an overly challenging one for us in this sector. Moreover, the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic has had and continues to have a debilitating impact on many in the sector. It is being fought with some magnitude of resilience, but the increasing financial and other challenges are current. In short, it can be characterised or deemed to be the inevitable monster which has sprung upon many of us here in Barbados and across the globe, to beset our lives. As it remains a global pandemic, it continues to have a debilitating impact on many people,” Haynes noted.
“The reality is that no one knows when it will come to an end, vaccine or no vaccine. On this note, the Barbados government must be highly commended for having moved with alacrity to wrestle it to the ground, to avert continuous spread by initiating the requisite public health protocols. Indeed, they have worked hard and continue to work hard, for which we all must be grateful,” he stressed.
He meanwhile stated, “I strongly encourage all workers in the PSV sector not to let your guard down. Please obey and continue to adhere to all known protocols given to us by the government, in an effort to mitigate against community spread. There must be absolutely no complacency at this time. Let common sense prevail at all times. You are urged to be disciplined, be respectful to all members of the COVID-19 Unit, whose remit it is to enforce all protocols.
“The police too must be respected at all times. No unsavoury behaviour must be engaged in by any PSV worker, at no time. Please conduct yourselves with the right levels of decorum and do not bring this sector into public disrepute. We are all in this together as citizens and must be in full adherence to compliance, thus protecting each other. We must not retreat nor surrender,” he further commented.
Haynes, on behalf of the AOPT, also took the time to personally commend all PSV workers who continue to work hard on a daily basis to commute persons too and from work safely, whilst adhering to the laws and rules, thus ensuring the safety of the general public.
“Others who seek to flout the laws are encouraged to emulate your deportment and to keep, maintain and uplift the image of this significant sector, which continues to Barbados’ gross domestic product,” Haynes meanwhile stated.
(RSM)
