Minister of Transport Daryl Vaz has committed to expanding the Rural School Bus Systems to transport students across all 850 rural schools in Jamaica if the Jamaica Labour Party is re-elected to serve for a third term.

Vaz revealed that in 2011, before Mike Henry left office as Minister of Transport, he implemented a policy for the roll-out of a school bus system that received opposition from the People’s National Party. “He put in place a national school bus system that was supposed to be rolled out over four years, and he placed the order for the first 60 buses and the first thing that the PNP did when they came in, in 2012, was to scrap it. In 2013, JUTC decided to do a 20-bus pilot project. It was scrapped by the People’s National Party,” Vaz said.

He expressed that the PNP is still unconcerned with the implementation of the school bus system, which will offer an easier commute for children and parents. “They have no interest in you and your children getting to school and getting around Jamaica in a safe and economical way. I say to you tonight, very simply, my commitment to the people of Jamaica is that we are going to roll out the 110 school buses on a September morning,” he said. “But I go further, given the opportunity to continue to serve in a government that only covers 258 schools. In two years, I make the commitment that we will have buses that will cover the 850 rural schools across Jamaica. That is our commitment. And I am not like the PNP because I make commitments, not promises,” Vaz added during his address at the St Ann North Eastern Divisional Conference on Sunday, July 20.

He criticised the opposition by stating that all their plans are unsound, baseless and empty promises. “If you listen to the promises that they make every night when they go on the platform, and you count the money that it is going to cost to implement all of those promises that they make every night on the platform, I have to just say it as one thing. Rum talk. Rum talk.

“They are going to give you all the promises, and you ask them the question, what happened in the 18 years that you had the opportunity to do it? And then you come back, and you get another four and a half years, 22 and a half years, and you have nothing to show for it,” Vaz continued.

He revealed that from 2014 to 2016, the People’s National Party purchased 108 buses for the JUTC, but that the money to purchase those buses was borrowed. “They couldn’t afford to buy not even one bus, much less 108. This Andrew Holness-led administration, in two years since I have been minister of transport, has brought 270 buses into Jamaica, and we haven’t borrowed 10 cents. That is the difference between good governance and rum talk government. So don’t let them fool you.”

The minister of transport also announced the smart features that will come with the JUTC buses, so parents are aware of when their children board or get off the bus for school. “Come September morning, Labourites, when your pickney gets up and goes to school, you’re going to have an app on your phone and know when the child boards the bus, when the child reaches school, when the child leaves school, and when the child reaches home.

“That is what they want to bad mind you for. Not only that, nowadays it costs each family between $300 and $600 a day per child. Some parents have to decide between the 4th child, which one looks brightest, and put all of their money in that child, at the expense of the other three children. I say today that those mothers won’t have to make that difficult decision, because, guess what, $50 one way, $50 the next way, so $100 per child per day, so parents can send all of their children to school, rather than having to choose one,” he added.