JLP plans islandwide Bus Fare Protests - Audit of the JUTC needed as JUTC may be Campaign Cash Cow for Local and General Elections

“We are going to increase our protest. We are not just going to gather in Half-Way Tree, but we're going to gather in every square in this country. We are going go in every community in this country. We are going to walk every hill and trod every valley because we must mobilise the people of this country to say to the Government, no more increases. Find more efficient ways of running the Government instead of passing on increases to the already-burdened people of this country”

JLP Leader Andrew Holness making statements on Monday August 24th 2014 suggesting that he plans to take his Bus Fare Increase islandwide

First before I begin my rant, I’d like to express my condolences to the Family and Friends of Minister of Agriculture Roger Clarke who died today Thursday August 28^th 2014 as stated in the article “UPDATE: Roger Clarke Dies Of Suspected Heart Attack”, Published Thursday August 28, 2014 11:44 am, The Jamaica Gleaner and “Roger Clarke is dead”, published Thursday, August 28, 2014 11:47 AM, The Jamaica Observer. He’ll surely be missed! 

Now on to my rant!

I haven’t returned back to Swallowfield as yet, but it appears that the JLP (Jamaica Labour Party) have apparently found their voice.

This after JLP Leader Andrew Holness staged a peaceful protest on Monday August 24^th 2014 as stated in the article entitled “Holness leads demonstration in HWT today against Bus fare hike”, published Monday, August 25, 2014 BY BALFORD HENRY Senior staff reporter, The Jamaica Observer.

He didn’t get much support from the civil society groups, possibly out of fear or reprisals from PNP supporters within their own communities, especially if they were from so-called PNP Garrison constituencies as stated in the article “Holness: Vindictive PNP keeping Bus fare protesters at bay”, published Monday August 25, 2014 by Christopher Serju, Gleaner Writer, The Jamaica Gleaner.

But those who came out appeared to be mostly JLP party faithful, based on the above newspaper report. And based on recent reports in The Jamaica Gleaner in the article “Holness to take Bus-fare hike protest islandwide”, published Tuesday August 26, 2014, The Jamaica Gleaner, he’s planning to go islandwide.

Apparently JLP Leader Andrew Holness thinks he can use this Bus fare increase as a political Platform to appeal to the masses ALREADY enduring unfair increases from NATO (National Association of Transport Operators) Taxi and Bus operators islandwide.

But is he really interested in the welfare of the Poor? Or is this just more political theatre?

JUTC and the KMTR – I’ve been a One-man Protest against JUTC since the ending of Bus Transfers

No, I’m not a Labourite, I just think the Bus increase is unfair and as part of my personal protest, I’m NOT riding the JUTC (Jamaica Urban Transit Company) Bus as long as I’m able as protest as I’d mentioned in my blog article entitled “JUTC SmarterCard Rollout and Fare Hike Postponed – Why I'll be boycotting JUTC Buses anyway as they're not trying to Save Money”.

Good to note for the record, I’d been protesting against the JUTC since Sunday November 10^th 2013 when the JUTC suspended Bus Transfers as I’d reported in my blog article entitled “Mandatory SmarterCard Cashless System coming in March 2014 – JUTC Legal challenge NATO over Routes as JA$100 Wi-Fi needed to keep Unruly High School Students Happy”.

That was the day I last took the JUTC Buses regularly, effectively opting to either walk or take the risk of riding in a taxi or on an unlicensed non-JUTC coloured Bus, which by the way attracts a fine of JA$100,000 as stated in my blog article entitled “Licensed JUTC KMTR Franchise holders begin operation on April 8th 2014 - Attack of the Stone Throwing Jamaicans against JUTC State sponsored Terrorism again JATOO”.

To the JUTC's Credit, on Monday September 1^st 2014, all High School Students will be able to travel on the JUTC Buses for Free if they don't have their SmarterCard. The idea is that they'll use that free ride to go to one of the Centers such as the Half Way Tree Transport Center to purchase a SmarterCard. 

Once you qualify and you have your SmarterCard, you’ll be able to pay the subsidized fare as I'd pointed out in my blog article entitled “JUTC SmarterCard Rollout and Fare Hike Postponed – Why I'll be boycotting JUTC Buses anyway as they're not trying to Save Money”.

Audit of the JUTC needed – JUTC is a Campaign Cash Cow for Local and General Elections

Those with a good memory will often see me walking all the way from Half-Way-Tree back home along Trafalgar Road, sometimes through New Kingston since I began my one-man Protest. My question to Mr. Andrew Holness is thus: Where was he THEN with his protests when the JUTC put the kibosh on Bus Transfers?

What I’d really love to see is an Audit of the JUTC, as former Auditor General Greg Christie has called upon the Minister of Transport Dr. Omar Davies to have conducted as stated in “Greg Christie Backs JUTC Audit”, published Monday August 25, 2014 1:18 pm by Jerome Reynolds, Staff Reporter, The Jamaica Gleaner.

If the Government is non-compliant, then my suspicions since November 2013, long before JLP Leader Andrew Holness caught the spirit to protest would be justified.

The PNP is afraid to rock their campaign Bus, as their JUTC employees are literally their ticket back into power come Local Government Elections in 2015 and General Elections in 2016. They are not showing the willingness to reduce losses due to theft from their own employees as I’d pointed out in my blog article entitled “How to defraud the JUTC and reduce your Bus Fare - Arson and Ticket Fraud means Switchover to the SmarterCard Cashless System before 2014 required”.

Possibly because they’re using the extra loot from the JUTC to fund their Local Government Elections in 2015 and General Elections in 2016 as I’d already concluded in my blog article entitled “JUTC SmarterCard Rollout and Fare Hike Postponed – Why I'll be boycotting JUTC Buses anyway as they're not trying to Save Money”.

This is, ironically, in a manner similar to how Haitian Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe is using an “illegal” Telecoms Tax on International Calling, the proceeds of which were funneled into the FNE (National Fund for Education), to fund his Presidential bid as explained in my blog article entitled “Digicel Haiti removes VoIP Apps Blockade – How Laurent Lamothe Administrations Corrupt Telecom Tax for FNE has French Connection”.

Folk, I'll see you in Kingston by Monday September 1^st 2014. Walk Good as I'm NOT Taking the Bus in protest.....