Fijileaks
  • Home
  • Archive Home
  • In-depth Analysis
    • BOI Report into George Speight and others beatings
  • Documents
  • Opinion
  • CRC Submissions
  • Features
  • Archive

NFP: The attitude and behaviour of FFP Minister Bala during Monday’s Speaker’s debate is "a perfect example of thuggery and dictatorship"

4/10/2017

10 Comments

 

Fijileaks: Instead of Transport Minister Parveen Bala threatening a YOUTH and Justice Minister Aiyaz Khaiyum not throwing the law book at Bala, both should order bus operators to give bus drivers a reasonable amount of cash [the float money they used to start their shift with] so they (the drivers and bus checkers) could immediately refund the travelling public the amount overcharged. It is small change for the bus operators to part with if we are to believe that it is the bus drivers and the bus checkers who have been stealing annually between $3m to $5m in tax revenue from the bus operators and the taxman. We still do not believe that the bus operators have become so transparent with their earnings that they want E-Ticketing machines. It is like Dracula has suddenly decided that someone else should guard his BLOOD BANK. At least, the drivers knew how much they handed to their bosses!

Singh demands refund and she wants it now

"I came to the media because when I went to Vodafone they told me it had nothing to with them and I had to go to the bus company. When I went to the bus checker for that company, he said it's not their problem and that I have to go to Vodafone. If Government and Vodafone want to bring this card system in, they must make sure we know where to go when we are overcharged. They must think we have all day going from one place to another. It's okay for me, I can walk around but what will happen to handicapped or old people, who will they go to? Who will take them from one place to another? For plenty people, the money I am crying for looks small but for poor people like me every single cent counts."
Picture
From The Fiji Times,
Wednesday, October 04, 2017


"WE want a refund and we want it now."

This was the comment made by Lautoka resident Gunamma Singh in response to Government's eTransport scheme after she was overcharged by $1.14 cents yesterday.

Mrs Singh said she normally paid 70cents to travel from Lovu to Lautoka City. Yesterday, she said the eTransport machine took $1.84 instead of 70cents.

The 56-year-old was one of many who contacted or visited The Fiji Times West bureau seeking answers to the refund process.

"I came to the media because when I went to Vodafone they told me it had nothing to with them and I had to go to the bus company," she said.

"When I went to the bus checker for that company, he said it's not their problem and that I have to go to Vodafone. If Government and Vodafone want to bring this card system in, they must make sure we know where to go when we are overcharged.

"They must think we have all day going from one place to another. It's okay for me, I can walk around but what will happen to handicapped or old people, who will they go to? Who will take them from one place to another?

"For plenty people, the money I am crying for looks small but for poor people like me every single cent counts."

Fijileaks: The  Lautoka resident Gunamma Singh has no time or money to go around "dancing" for refund - every single cent counts for her. Bus operators should give to their bus drivers a reasonable amount of cash [the float money they used to start their shift with] so they (drivers and bus checkers) could immediately refund the travelling public the amount overcharged - and find a way to keep tab of the refunds!!!!!!!

Picture
Picture
NFP: Minister Bala’s behaviour over e-ticket fiasco deplorable, 3 October 2017
 
The attitude and behaviour of a senior Cabinet Minister during Monday’s Speaker’s debate is a perfect example of thuggery and dictatorship following questions directed him by members of the audience over Government’s botched implementation of the e-ticketing system.
 
Minister for Local Government, Housing, Environment, Infrastructure and Transport  Honourable Parveen Kumar Bala’s answers, mannerism and tone showed his extreme arrogance and blatant disregard of the concerns of the members of the public  who undoubtedly like many thousands of people who use buses as the only means of public transport over the implementation of the e-ticketing system.
 
Naturally, this resulted in the reaction by a youth Mr Kelvin Anthony who could no longer tolerate Mr Bala’s arrogant behaviour and “my way or the highway” attitude and called him a thug.
 
This resulted in the Minister raising his voice and telling Mr Anthony that he (Mr Bala) knew who he is and where he works and lives. This constitutes a threat. Mr Bala should be ashamed of himself for displaying such behaviour, worse still in public.
 
When one views the Speaker’s debate, it becomes absolutely clear that Mr Bala came to the debate with a pre-meditated mind to simply disregard and crush all legitimate concerns raised on the problems associated with the implementation of the e-ticketing concept.
 
He wanted only his point of view  to prevail and wanted the audience to accept the fact that only the current Government has the ability, authority and mandate to implement any policy that it wants to without  widespread consultation. Along with stakeholders, the  people should have been consulted or given time to adjust to the system.

Every new concept has a transition period. E-ticketing is no exception. Government must understand that imposition hardens attitude. It is no use living in denial that immediate transition to e-ticketing is working.  Not only passengers, but bus drivers are also complaining.
 
The usage of e-ticketing is time-consuming for drivers and buses are unable to depart or arrive at their destinations on time. And we have seen in many cases that due to the rush to adhere to the timetable, drivers do not pick up passengers  along the route and the stranded passengers have no option but to catch taxis.
 
The best thing is to allow a transitional period of six months where both e-ticketing and cash should be allowed and accepted as fare. Even countries like Australia and New Zealand have both systems. A transition period will also allow bus operators to assess the level of increase in their income as this has been their basis for calling for the implementation of the e-ticking system.
 
 And at the end of the six-month transition period, the  logical step  would be to increase the wages of drivers and other workers in the bus industry and also reduce  fares because due to the expected significant increase in income.
 
This is the right way forward and Mr Bala as Transport Minister must accept the reality and convince Government and the e-ticket service provider Vodafone to alleviate the plight facing the traveling instead of riding roughshod over people’s concern
 
Authorised by:
Professor Biman Prasad
NFP Leader


Picture
Picture
Picture

FLP: "We say once again SCRAP the system, give refunds to ticket holders and revert to the cash bus fare system. People say they prefer the cash system. If AG is so worried about bus operators and drivers filching tax money – he should put government checkers on all the buses. He cannot allow the public to be ripped off and inconvenienced because of his tax concerns."

Picture
The e-ticket chaos continues: angry commuters overcharged

The Attorney General must explain to the public why higher fares are being charged under the new e-ticketing system.

Angry commuters everywhere are demanding refunds for overcharged bus fares.

People who travel on buses are generally from families that cannot afford cars, and many live a hand to mouth existence. For them even a 5c increase in bus fares are a worry.

In this case we have received reports of additional charges ranging from 30c to more than $1 per sector. People who normally paid 70c for a sector are now being charged $1.00. This means an additional 60c per day – and $3 for a 5-day week.

Some who paid $1.10 are being charged $1.68 – an additional 58c per route and so on. A lady claimed in the Fiji Times today that she was charged $1.84 for a normal 70c route - overcharged by $1.14. She is rightly demanding a refund but is being sent from pillar to post

There are many similar cases.

The Attorney General must answer to the public. The system is causing chaos everywhere – buses with faulty machines are being parked at the depot. Passengers both school children and workers, are left stranded as the few buses with workable machines cannot cope with the increased load.

The poor drivers are being forced to face angry and frustrated commuters who swear at them for machines that don’t work or for being left stranded on the road side.

We ASK again:

• Were the machines properly certified before they were installed?
• Was an audit of the system carried out?
• Were drivers properly trained on the use of the machines?
• Will the AG ensure that hundreds of commuters who were overcharged will get refunds without being pushed from pillar to post?
• How will he address this problem of overcharging of fares and ensure that it will stop when the machines are not certified and there is no audit.

We say once again SCRAP the system, give refunds to ticket holders and revert to the cash bus fare system. People say they prefer the cash system.

If AG is so worried about bus operators and drivers filching tax money – he should put government checkers on all the buses. He cannot allow the public to be ripped off and inconvenienced because of his tax concerns.

10 Comments
Dekho
4/10/2017 08:10:14 am

Isn't this the same Minister who arrogantly brushed aside all public concerns regarding the " rezoning " of a public park in Lautoka to facilitate commercial development?
Arrogance, bullying, intimidating, thuggery are the kind of qualities one must posses to be a good fit as a Minister in the twin dictators' Fiji.
Bala is a big lamusona. His arrogance comes from patronage politics. He knows he has the protection of Khaiyum and Bainimarama that's why he can say to that young chap I know where you live and all that.
Well we'll see what he is like when THAT protection evaporates.

Reply
Samjoe
4/10/2017 08:24:30 am

Bala's background . What is the basis of Bala's political success? He has always been a political parasite, a political bakewa, who attaches himself to politically powerful people. That's how he became mayor and that's how he has become a Minister. Not on merit. There is nothing intelligent in him!

Reply
Bahuki
4/10/2017 09:11:29 am

NFP pretty much summed it all up about Bala being a douche, would be interesting to see how they would do things should they win next year's elections despite having a historically short term in power once.

Reply
Cat Calling the Pot Black - Chaudhry
4/10/2017 08:00:07 pm

Mr Chaudhry, why should Khaiyum scrap this ticketing regime, to some teething problems as once they are brought to attention, the provision is made to correct those.

Now asking for having government watchdogs to sit in the buses to police any tax dollar theft, but when the FIRCA had policed your theft, you as interim Finance Minster got rid of that government staff for sneaking into your $2m scam for stealing from poor against the declaration of money belonging to the victims of the coup.

We still have not seen any further policemen from FIRCA charging you for not returning that money to who you said they originally belonged to, or have you?

Reply
Refugee
4/10/2017 09:41:51 pm


back to basics ..

"WHO KILLED PUNA CHAND...????"

IF we as (equalized) Fijians can JUST answer this simple question we'd be all philosophically enlightened.

He/She/or It was certainly NOT an EDriver....so why the E-ticketing?

The Hon. Sinsiter Bala is a proper murderer THUG. Period! Full marks to young Anthony for saying so. Bravo!!

And let me add Bainimarama and Aiyazi are this world's most PITIABLE IP THUGS!!! Sala "Fiji First" naam CHORS!! Ha!

That's a FACT and only sounding conveniently FAKE to IDIOTS like Kai and his bloated puppet Bai and the rest of the chor cabal of Fiji's CHOR Party Sarkar and qoli suckers.

Reply
Rajend Naidu
4/10/2017 09:51:58 pm

Editor,
Protecting Those Who Have The Courage To Speak Out About Wrongdoing
Erika Kelton of Phillips&Cohen, Washington, DC tells us " Having represented whistleblowers in the US for more than 25 years, I can say that Richard Mulgun, opening from his academic perch, is wrong on many counts . ( " Pushing the limits of whistleblowing laws, Public Sector Informant, Oct 3, p.16 )
... To benefit everyone's interest, Australia should enact [ whistleblowing] laws that protect and reward those who have the courage to speak out about wrongdoing ".
I couldn't agree more.
Fiji too should enact the whistleblower laws to give its claim to being a " true democracy " tangible form.
No more hounding of truth Sayers.
Sincerely,
Rajend Naidu

Reply
Chiku
5/10/2017 03:37:48 am

If a government minister in a western democracy had said what minister Bala had said to a Fijian citizen would he remain a minister?

Reply
Socho
5/10/2017 03:58:44 am

How would the court in a western democracy have dealt with the matter of Minister Bala's threat to a citizen?
But the rule of law is of course applied differently in the new Fiji of Bainimarama and Khaiyum where everyone is equal but some like Bala are more equal.

Reply
Welcome Home
5/10/2017 05:40:15 am

In June 2007 (one week after the birth of our first grandchild)large rocks/boulders were hurled onto the roof of our home under cowardly cover of night. The date is obviously etched in memory and verifiable. "I know where you live"! A threat from Nazi-dominated Europe and familiar to those whose own fathers and grandfathers wore uniforms in the Black Watch and the RAF in Two World Wars to defend and protect Freedom from barbarous Fascism. Hurling rocks and other coercive devices shall never deter Truth Telling or cower us from exposing persons now known to impose fear and treachery for devious and illegitimate ends. Their end will be ignominious and the words they utter and the tactics they deploy are a demonstration.

Reply
Rajend Naidu
5/10/2017 07:36:02 am

Editor,
Ministerial Comment.
When I read in the Fiji Times article ' Minister should be ashamed, says NFP' ( 5/10 ) that Minister Honourable Praveen Bala publicly said to a citizen named Kelvin Anthony that he " knew who he is and where he works and lives " that there must be some mistake in the reporting.
I mean no minister would publicly say such a thing even in our somewhat degraded democracy.
Only a moron would.
Sincerely,
Rajend Naidu

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    editor@fijileaks.com

    ARCHIVES

    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    Picture
    Picture