The Government of Guyana has made it clear that it has not approved any increase in public transportation fares and is warning operators across the sector that unauthorized hikes will not be tolerated.
That position was strongly reaffirmed by Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill during a direct engagement with public transportation owners and operators at the Stabroek Market Square, where concerns were raised over arbitrary increases in fares for minibuses, hire cars, speedboats and airport taxis.
The meeting was convened in response to growing complaints from commuters, while also giving operators an opportunity to air their concerns.
According to the Ministry of Public Works, the government’s position is firm: fares remain unchanged unless officially approved.
The high-level engagement also included Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce Susan Rodrigues, who has oversight of the Competition and Consumer Affairs Commission; Director General of the Maritime Administration Department, Captain Stephen Thomas; Traffic Chief and Assistant Commissioner of Police Mahendra Singh; and representatives of the Public Utilities Commission.
During the meeting, Minister Rodrigues reminded commuters and operators that public transportation is classified as a public utility, meaning passengers are legally protected from unfair pricing and exploitation.
Both ministers also pointed to several measures already implemented by government to cushion the impact of inflation, including the removal of fuel taxes, the absorption of rising shipping costs, and the reduction of duties on key goods. Those interventions, they said, were intended to ease pressure on both transport providers and the travelling public.
At the same time, the government signalled that operators who continue to flout the rules could face serious consequences.
Captain Thomas warned that transport licences are a privilege, not a right, and said they are tied directly to regulatory compliance and public safety. He also revealed that penalties are already being enforced after incidents over the previous weekend, when passengers were stranded at the Parika and Bartica stellings because operators refused to work for the standard fare.
While maintaining its opposition to illegal fare hikes, the government acknowledged concerns raised by operators over the rising and unregulated cost of spare parts.
To address that issue, officials said they will engage major importers and distributors of automotive parts to explore ways of reducing operational costs for transport providers.
The meeting ended with a firm directive from Edghill that approved fares must be respected.
The government said it remains committed to ensuring that the public transportation system remains affordable, safe and fair, while protecting both commuters and operators.
