Citing safety concerns, Bunting doubles down on criticism of Gov't's rural bus system

Opposition Senator Peter Bunting is doubling down on his criticisms of the government's decision to use “retired old buses” for its rural bus system, insisting that he is willing to pay “whatever political price” for his pushback.

Bunting, who was speaking in Christiana, Manchester, on Sunday night at a PNP rally, likened the use of the 10–15-year-old buses with “hundreds of thousands miles on the clock” to the police used-car scandal of 2016.

In that long-running police used-car saga, it was eventually disclosed that 66 of the used cars handed over at that time failed the rigour of regular police work.

Bunting contends that the buses, which he said were designed for flat, wide roads in America, are not suitable for Jamaica's hilly terrain.

He insists that they are a safety risk to students and pedestrians.

“I am bawling out! Mi nuh care who wah vex. I wouldn't put my child on that old bus on these hilly terrain, these pothole roads with hairpin turns in Manchester, St Elizabeth, Trelawny—all the hilly parishes. We couldn't do it,” he said.

According to Bunting, his criticism of the rural bus system is not political, but is borne out of concern for the safety of the nation's children.

He claims the buses were pulled from the American school system because they were no longer considered safe enough for American children and were too inefficient.

“These were pulled out of circulation in the United States because their engines are tired, their suspensions are worn, [and] their wiring systems are brittle. In the Northern states, many have been subject to years of salty roads, which corrode the frames and the brake lights,” he said.

Bunting described the rural school bus system—which was praised by Transport Minister Daryl Vaz as “one of the most transformative policy initiatives ever taken by any Government since Independence”—as nothing more than a “bandoloo” initiative.

“Whatever they want seh bout mi, and whatever political price I could pay, it is worth it if I can save the life of one child in Manchester, and I make no apology for that.”

The rural bus system will commence in September, with 110 buses covering 258 schools across Jamaica in phase one of the initiative.

The $1.4 billion investment aims to provide equitable transportation for students, who will be charged a flat fee of $50.

Vaz said the initiative directly addresses the decades-old challenges of long, unreliable, and unsafe commutes faced by students in remote communities, and that the buses are equipped with modern safety features and designed to handle Jamaica's terrain.

For his part, Opposition Leader and People's National Party (PNP) President Mark Golding, who also spoke at the meeting, acknowledged that many students miss school for days due to financial challenges related to lunch and transportation.

However, he dismissed the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) administration's plan as “problematic and dangerous.”

“That is why we came up with the right programme. We have heard already about the JLP's solution… in quotation marks… to bring in a hundred and ten old buses to carry the children. We have grave concerns about that approach. We don't think that is workable, and we think it's very problematic and dangerous,” said Golding, addressing the large audience at Wint's Car Park in Christiana.

Golding said the PNP's alternative leans towards spending $1.9 billion annually to subsidise transportation for students who are in need.

He said beneficiaries would be identified through schools and social workers.

“That money will be spent amongst transport operators of the country, so they will benefit from that additional income to carry the children to school. We're solving many problems with our solutions,” he added.

The comments from the Opposition have drawn the ire of Minister of Education, Dr Dana Morris Dixon, who dismissed them as "baseless, unfortunate, and unhelpful."

She also accused Bunting of spreading misinformation.

She said his assertions about the buses "being brought in to kill off children" are particularly disturbing and should be withdrawn immediately.

Morris Dixon further maintained that the buses meet strict international standards.

"Similar model buses are currently utilised in the United States and Canada," she said.

"The buses are manufactured in accordance with the safety specifications of the US Department of Transportation, and they undergo a rigorous maintenance and inspection regime before and after arriving in Jamaica. Our students' safety is our foremost priority."

She said each bus is subjected to comprehensive inspection and fitness testing upon arrival in Jamaica and that regular servicing will be carried out to ensure they remain roadworthy.

— Sashana Small. Olivia Brown contributed to this story.

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