Who is Aiyaz Khaiyum to speak on E-Ticketing? Where is Transport Minister Parveen Bala? It was the Fiji Bus Operators who convinced the TEAM that reviewed the transport industry that the "bus drivers and the bus checkers are the thieves" who are stealing from bus companies. Unfortunately its the bus drivers who are taking all the sh*t, with one irate passenger claiming on social media: "KILL THE BUS DRIVER"
Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum at a joint press conference with Vodafone Fiji and the Fiji Buses Operators Association (FBOA) in Suva
While the FFP government is yet to provide RECEIPTS for the missing $245million dollars, it has the GALL to demand that you must have Vodafone travel card before you can board a bus in Fiji. Unlike the Government which is yet to produce those missing receipts, the passengers have proof of the misery, cheating, and humiliation that is being meted out to them. And Aiyaz Khaiyum's response:
"FORTY eTransport machines have been tampered with and damaged. This was confirmed by Vodafone Fiji who is a stakeholder in the eTransport initiative. People had gone and actually deliberately damaging physically these machines."
Fijileaks: FRUSTRATION must be the reason, for some villagers even threatened to set fire to buses for not letting them board to go to work and for other errands. Snippets from Fiji Exposed Forum social media:
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  | A Tale of Two Akbars. While the passenger on the left is complaining about the fare charged by Akbar Buses Limited, another Akbar, Minister Rosy was flouting law, getting beauty treatment, and came in environment polluting BIG Ministerial CAR:  |
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  | “If government wants to maximize on its VAT collection from bus fares, it should put FRCA representatives on all the buses to make sure there is no cheating, rather than force such inconvenience and continuing problems on to the people, not to mention loss of money from a failed system.” - FLP FIJI LABOUR PARTY: The E-ticketing mess ...once again! Second day of e-ticketing and the whole thing is a mess for the second time since an attempt was made to introduce it two years ago. AG Khaiyum called a press conference with bus operators today to tell the media that they had received about 100 complaints from the public. We at FLP have also received complaints from drivers as well as commuters. |
Some have complained that they are not getting receipts when cards are swiped and so they have no idea how much of their credit was deducted.
Labour Leader Mahendra Chaudhry says government should simply #scrap #the E-ticketing #system.
“If government wants to maximize on its #VAT collection from bus fares, it should put #FRCA representatives on all the buses to make sure there is no cheating, rather than force such inconvenience and continuing problems on to the people, not to mention loss of money from a failed system,” Mr Chaudhry said.
E-ticketing failed to work two years ago when it was first introduced and had to be suspended. Commuters lost money on the E-tickets then as they received no refunds from Vodafone when the system failed.
“Even during the recent one month trial period, it did not work satisfactorily. A lot of problems were encountered and government should have then decided against its implementation,” Mr Chaudhry said.
They have obviously rushed into implementing the scheme – we are told that e-tickets are not ready for the school children, either.
“One must also realize that these are sensitive instruments. Fiji’s road conditions, weather conditions as well as the dust and dirt in our environment play havoc with such instruments. Or are the machines of poor quality?
The question arises: Were the machines certified by competent authorities before they were installed?
“The system has not been #audited. There is a conflict of interest involved with Vodafone controlling the entire process – they provide the machines and the e-tickets. This is highly questionable,” said Mr Chaudhry.
Vodafone should refund the people their money and forget about the whole scheme, he said.
Labour Leader Mahendra Chaudhry says government should simply #scrap #the E-ticketing #system.
“If government wants to maximize on its #VAT collection from bus fares, it should put #FRCA representatives on all the buses to make sure there is no cheating, rather than force such inconvenience and continuing problems on to the people, not to mention loss of money from a failed system,” Mr Chaudhry said.
E-ticketing failed to work two years ago when it was first introduced and had to be suspended. Commuters lost money on the E-tickets then as they received no refunds from Vodafone when the system failed.
“Even during the recent one month trial period, it did not work satisfactorily. A lot of problems were encountered and government should have then decided against its implementation,” Mr Chaudhry said.
They have obviously rushed into implementing the scheme – we are told that e-tickets are not ready for the school children, either.
“One must also realize that these are sensitive instruments. Fiji’s road conditions, weather conditions as well as the dust and dirt in our environment play havoc with such instruments. Or are the machines of poor quality?
The question arises: Were the machines certified by competent authorities before they were installed?
“The system has not been #audited. There is a conflict of interest involved with Vodafone controlling the entire process – they provide the machines and the e-tickets. This is highly questionable,” said Mr Chaudhry.
Vodafone should refund the people their money and forget about the whole scheme, he said.
