WILLEMSTAD - The Social and Economic Council (SER) has issued a negative recommendation for the increase in the rates for small and medium-sized buses. The Curaçao government wanted to increase the rates as of April 1, but they remain unchanged for now.
The SER believes that the rates for the buses are already far too high, while the majority of passengers often come from low-income households. The high rates are mainly determined by the private bus operators. Previous research also shows that passengers find the service of the buses to be substandard, for example, the buses are not accessible and reliable enough.
According to the SER, it is important that public transport is affordable, reliable, and accessible, especially for access to schools, health facilities, social activities and work. Restricting access to these places could have negative effects on labor productivity and economic growth, according to the SER.