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(SNO) — There is a desperate move to get rid of the executive of the National Council on Public Transportation (NCOPT) and the Board of Directors of Combined Investment, and replace them with an interim committee.
The move has begun in the southern part of the island where minibus drivers have openly expressed profound disappointment with the manner in which their affairs are being managed by both entities.
NCOPT is the parent company of Combined Investment, which sells tyres to minibus drivers at a reasonable price.
According to the man who is spearheading the move, Peter Richard, president of the Mon Repos Minibus Drivers Association, he is getting massive support from minibus drivers around the island.
He said he has already identified individuals to serve on the interim committee, adding that when it is formally installed it will give the current executive of NCOPT and the board of directors of Combined Investment 14 days to resign. He added that when the interim committee is installed there will be some “serious investigations” into the operations of NCOPT and Combined Investment.
“The executive of NCOPT and the board of directors of Combined Investment are doing a terrible job, so we have no choice but to get them out….The situation has reached a point where we just can’t tolerate their nonsense any longer,” Richard said.
“Even minibus associations who are not associated with NCOPT are willing to join us to get rid of them…,” he added.
Richard lamented that the management of the two entities have no respect for minibus drivers, and are doing things without consulting them.
According to Richard, NCOPT established a business, Combined Investment, in which minibus drivers invested thousands of dollars which went to waste.
All the minibus drivers in the south of the island who this reporter has spoken to have confirmed what Richard said.
According to the disgruntled minibus drivers, for the past three years Combined Investment has not held a shareholders’ meeting.
A few weeks ago, the Laborie Minibus Drivers Association revealed that it will be hauling NCOPT to court for matters relating to transparency and accountability as it relates to the operations of Combined Investment.
A number of minibus associations around the island say they support the decision taken by the Laborie Minibus Drivers Association.
Emmanuel Charlemagne, president of the Choiseul Minibus Drivers Association, said he supports the move to get rid of the executive members of NCOPT and the board of directors of Combined Investment.
He however added that he is not too sure minibus drivers in the north of the island will fully embrace such a move.
Another minibus driver in the south described the executive of NCOPT and the board of directors of Combined Investment as a waste of time.
A meeting with all the executive members of the various minibus associations around the island is slated for the 23rd of this month at the Dennery Primary School to further discuss their concerns.
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