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Robberies could force PSVs off road early

by Barbados Today
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Masked robberies of Public Service Vehicles (PSVs) continue to be a problem for operators who say they may be forced to shorten their hours as a result.

Craig Banfield, Commuter Complaints Officer for the Alliance of Owners of Public Transport (AOPT), made the revelation on Wednesday as the association met with members of the COVID-19 Monitoring Unit.

He said PSVs have been experiencing a spate of robberies, the most recent being on Tuesday.

Banfield revealed that since the COVID-19 pandemic began, nine to 10 PSVs have been robbed. The complaints officer says some criminals are using the mask protocol as a cover, making it difficult to identify them.

“The protocols that are important on one hand are also being detrimental on the other…from the point of view that the masks that are being worn, that we all know is necessary, is being utilised by individuals in an attempt to rob PSVs and we are taking this very seriously,” he said.

Banfield said operators are asking commuters to lower their masks when boarding PSVs so they can be identified. “We have already come out in public as an association and we would prefer if commuters, upon approaching or getting onto public service vehicles, would remove their masks like how they do in banks, for a couple of seconds, so that operators, either the driver or the conductor, is able to identify the person in the event that anything should [happen],” he said.

Banfield said they will continue to make the appeal to ensure the safety of their membership, but warned that if they continue to be targeted, they will be forced to reduce hours on the road.

“They [PSV operators] may prefer to come off the road at 6-7 o’clock versus continuing down to nine or ten o’clock at night, due to the fact that there are these robbery instances that are occurring since the beginning of February/March,” he said.

He said that would be a last resort, since it would not only hurt the commuters but the operators, so they were hoping the robberies can be reduced.

Banfield said they will also be seeking alternative security arrangements in the meantime, including installing cameras “as a way and means of being able to identify [culprits], or at least be able to get clips of what transpired on the vans in the attempt of robberies.”
(kobiebroomes@barbadostoday.bb)

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