Bus owners justify need for compensation

Mark Bishop

Jan 26th 2010, 09:45

One of the most noticeable investments was the reduction in emissions for all buses...

Frans Attard

Jan 26th 2010, 09:29

Il-flus li ahna inhalsu f'taxxi, dan il-gvern iberbaqhom fix-xejn.
IMISSU JISTHI!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ikun ahjar li jqassamhom lill min veru ghandu bzonn.

Carmel Garcia

Jan 26th 2010, 08:04

Dear Austin, You are compensating again the bus owners. What a shame... And us the consumers of electricity and water nothing, exactly nothing. We have to pay for these so called self employed from our taxes. What about us the other workers? Is there any compensation? An other election will come.

Saviour Sam Agius

Jan 26th 2010, 02:19

X'jiswa l-investiment li għamlu jekk qatt m'offrew servizz suret in-nies? Tort tagħhom li ġralhom. Il-ftit xufiera tajbin li hemm jiddispjaċini għalihom imma kien imisshom semmgħu leħinhom u tkellmu kontra sħabhom li waqqgħulhom ġieħhom fil-qiegħ tal-abissi.

Il-Polonja rajt kompetizzjoni fejn min juża t-trammijiet jista' jivvota għall-aħjar xufiera u kull xahar jirbħu xi ħaġa. L-inċentiv dejjem sabiħ.

John Zammit

Jan 26th 2010, 01:42

Appropriate compensation to present bus owners would be a good capital investment if this is compensated by an improved bus service that is run and served by professionally educated personnel.

Anthony Borg

Jan 25th 2010, 22:45

Stop harassing the bus owners/drivers, all of you... they might change their minds because of this and accept the deal! That’s not what decent commuters want ... we want a complete overhaul of the system ...including the human factor not just the hardware.

victor vella

Jan 25th 2010, 21:52

I firmly believe that the government is wasting our money. what should be done is to pay the owners of the new buses what they forked out, and this is only reasonable as these buses were bought on the instigation of the government, pay the owners of the bus permits the money that was originally paid for the permit as it would be withdrawn by the government and the rest would simply take their buses and go home peacefully as then they are owed nothing, hathe bus owners forgotten how many times they brought misery to the workers?

Adrian Borg

Jan 25th 2010, 21:32

Jien ma jien kapaci naghmel xejn hlief insuq trakkijiet kbar. X'irrid naghmel biex nidhol ma tal-linja malajr dil-gimgha halli nkun nista napplika ghal kumpens u xoghol garantit ghall-10 snin li gejjin minghajr ma ninkwieta li jkeccuni ghax naqbez rotta jew tnejn?

Charles Zammit

Jan 25th 2010, 21:27

Mr. Spiteri's views regarding the drydocks workforce are absolutely unjustified. The drydocks workers like all skilled employed workers invested their lives, skills and knowledge in their organisation. Transport workers invested nothing of the sort.

Edgar S. Galea

Jan 25th 2010, 20:34

Could Mr V. Spiteri enlighten all taxpayers how much every individual owner received as subsidy from the Government to exchange their old buses with new ones? How much did the owners fork out of their own pocket to buy the new buses? It is crystal clear that the Government is going to pay every individual owner for the amount that the owner received as subsidy. Not even one owner is mentioning this.

j.kawash

Jan 25th 2010, 20:22

@ paul debono, quite a lot actually when you consider our roads,rebuilds and engine changes and normail maintence.and if you`re referring to the traditional buses,you`re quite mistaken in their age,i know of the eldest example is from 1932.the chassis of course,the body is from 1964.

N.Lawrence

Jan 25th 2010, 19:56

Compensation? NO!

John Smith

Jan 25th 2010, 19:54

Surely we all do remember what happened to Sea Malta employees when their union told them not to accept the offer, they finished without work, and lost all the money that was being offered to them ? This time is the Bus Owners, History repeat itself, and they are being told not to accept the offer. Can the Union GUARANTEE THERE FUTURE WITHOUT ALL THIS MONEY ? What is going to happen if they persist not to have this offer?? Buses if they refuse to accept the..Ministry Offer, will be worthy..NOTHING. If they accept they do have enough to invest, besides..wages of €25.99 daily or €790.50 monthly, besides earning interest to ordinary buses €1960 p.a. or €163 monthly. Those of low floor type will earn interest of €2360 per annum, or €163 monthly. That is what one call good money..interest if invested. They are going to loose. Now it's up to them!! But don't let history destroy your future!!

Paul Debono

Jan 25th 2010, 19:30

How much investment does it take to run a bus that is 30 years old??

M Mifsud

Jan 25th 2010, 19:29

What is the total amount of government subsidies (taxpayers money) did they receive in the last 20 years.

Joseph Agius

Jan 25th 2010, 19:11

could Mr Spiteri tell us tax payers how much did they invest on attitude change? unfortunately we are fed up and we want a clean sleet. Let's get over it quickly . We've been taken for a ride too much...sorry for the pun!

mark busuttil

Jan 25th 2010, 18:55

how much are these people declaring as annual income? compensation should be based on this amount

Stephen Zammit

Jan 25th 2010, 18:42

Not all investments made by self employed are succesfull. In this case, the inflexibilty shown to start new routes, the lack of quality of service, the unaccountability, have added insult to injury. I for one work in Valletta and cannot use the service as I waste one hour every day and have to walk over one mile... Many times in the morning drivers cut corners and avoid certain bus stops. leaving many people stranded. The bus routes are the same ones we had 30 years ago... The fact that the government had to do something else and go for privatisation is mainly due to the bus drivers/ owners attitudes. They only have themselves to blame. In this day and age nobody is owed a living...you have to work for it.

D Borg

Jan 25th 2010, 18:35

"PTA President Victor Spiteri said the bus owners were self employed persons who had paid for their business" Dear Mr. Spiteri many self employed business men and loyal hard working employees had been driven out of their business and/or employment and had not been offered neither compensation nor job guarantee. There where self employed that lost their houses. Give one valid reason why you and your army deserve a compensation after enjoying a monopoly for 70 years. To add insult to injury you are also complaining about it. The government should be ashamed, thinking about giving you any compensation, again, after you let him down following the previous compensation. In the current economic scenario, with the current deficit and the lack of investment in many other sectors the governemnt is doing nothing else either that a disservice to the society for your benefit. You might see it differently but this how all self employed and loyal employees are feeling. Thanks Austin.

Ryan Bugeja

Jan 25th 2010, 18:30

Dear Mr President Spiteri... what's your definition of 'invest heavily'? How many new buses do we have in our bus fleet through this 'heavy investment'? Or maybe that invest heavily'' is nothing more than a lot of smoke up in my lungs and yours? I'm sorry Mr Spiteri... but I think I'm not the only person on this little Rock of ours who is fed up with the service, with the state of most buses and the fumes we have all to inhale. And yes, quite frankly I'm fed up as well with the strikes of the kind we had over a year ago which you headed. ... to the rest... one big standing ovation to Minister Gatt...

r pace bonello

Jan 25th 2010, 18:28

Perhaps Mr Spiteri will explain what was the substantial investment their members made. What is that investment worth 6 years later according to normal accounting standards. Perhaps he will also explain why his members deserve special treatment. Are the bus drivers the only self employed who have invested in their business? The comments made by the Chamber are absolutely correct and the general public is in total agreement.