Video: Interview With Minister Walter Roban
The review of the airport deal is ongoing, the Ministry is aiming to fill the vacant mechanic positions, and four new buses should be here by the end of the year.
These were a few of the statements from Deputy Premier and Minister of Transport & Regulatory Affairs Walter Roban, who sat down with Bernews today [Oct 4] for a live interview on our Facebook page.
Speaking with guest interviewer Jeremy Deacon, Minister Roban spoke on a variety of topics under his Ministry’s remit, including the situation with the buses, the ferries, airport project, rental minicars, road safety, and more.
Speaking on the bus cancellations, Minister Roban explained the challenges with the fleet of older buses, and said he is “working with DPT on a plan over the upcoming weeks to reduce the cancellations and is “hoping that that plan, once deployed, will work and bring down the rate of cancellations.”
Speaking on hiring mechanics, Minister Roban said, “We would love to be able to source all those mechanics locally, but we know that there is a shortage of those types of mechanics.
“We are also sourcing from within the DPT as well, so that anybody who is interested in being trained can actually get into a program to be trained within a period of time to be a heavy mechanic as is required.”
The Ministry previously announced that mini-buses would be used to help supplement the buses, and the Minister said that over a two week period the mini-buses did some 250 runs and carried around 6,000 passengers, mostly school children.
“We are grateful for their assistance, ” the Minister said. “It is a temporary measure until we can deal with some of the other issues.”
The Minister recently told the House of Assembly that the Department will require an additional $1.6 million to enable the Ferry and Tug Boat Services to meet service level schedules for the remainder of the 2007/18 fiscal year.
Expanding on that today, the Minister told Bernews, “Due to the lack of funding provided by the former administration to them for the America’s Cup obligations, they had to take money from one part of their budget to fund their operation of their ferry fleet.”
Asked about revenue from the America’s Cup, the Minister said, “I looked into that, and there’s been no revenue that’s been given to the ferry service from ACBDA, and I’m waiting to get some sort of calculation from the Ministry of which they are under to what actually happened with that.”
“Up to this point, I have no evidence of any revenue that was moved, as a result of the America’s Cup from ACBDA to the Marine & Ports Department. But I’m waiting for a report from that Ministry.”
Asked if he has considering privatizing the services, the Minister said no, as he does not believe that is the answer.
The Minister discussed a number of other matters, which are all contained in the video above, and if you want to listen ‘on the go’, you can also access the audio-only version of this interview, and all our past interviews, in the podcast section of the Bernews app.
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just cant wait to get ya sticky hands on the AC loot
so how much is the gov paying the mini bus operators and are the bus drivers being paid when the buses are cancelled – answer those basic questions. Roban.
Still holding our breaths
Transparency and accountability?
Roban, has no clue about his new ministry …did he have a job before he was appointed minister of transport ?
What, an actual real job, where someone pays you for doing something?
Something useful?
No, he was an MP.
There’s a challenge with old buses? Surely not. Wasn’t the bus fleet all new in 2012? Didn’t the PLP replace all old buses with new between 1998 and 2012? The 4 new buses were ordered before July 18 so now what? What is the PLP doing to upgrade the fleet and the schedule so buses don’t run empty when not needed? The people, especially school children, and visitors need buses, they don’t have GP cars.
So is he saying all those AC ferries were free for passengers? I know I had to pay when I used one.
Can’t just one politician be completely truthful just once?
“Up to this point, I have no evidence of any revenue that was moved, as a result of the America’s Cup from ACBDA to the Marine & Ports Department. But I’m waiting for a report from that Ministry.”
They sold more tickets and passes you clown. That’s how events provide a boost to the economy.
Complete bonehead statements by this “minister” just as bad the bonehead statements by JS!! Do your homework first you dreamers, before you open your mouth!! Starting to look like this PLP Government will be worse than the first!
What are his qualifications that he can say the REVEIW of the airport project is still being reviewed. Or is he just saying that as that’s what the plp told the voters. But if it makes you feel good, pull the contract.
Blaming th OBA thing is getting tired that was pre election game when are they gonna govern?
“Up to this point, I have no evidence of any revenue that was moved, as a result of the America’s Cup from ACBDA to the Marine & Ports Department. But I’m waiting for a report from that Ministry.”
Seriously Mr. Roban, that’s your childish and ignorant comment on that? How much revenue came into various coffers for the millions spent on Port Royal, how about faith based tourism etc?. I wont wait for your answer and I wont be holding my breath, especially for an intelligent one.
What’s worse is that Mr. Roban is supposed to be one of the bright lights in the PLP! We sure are in for a world of hurt.