Chaos in the transport sector

The prime minister has ordered the BRTA and the DMP to take action against those responsible for the deaths of two students and injuries of several others a couple of days ago, as well as against underage and unlicensed drivers. We understand that the home minister has also visited the house of one of the victims, on the PM's instructions.

While we thank the PM for her intervention in the matter, which we hope will help quell the situation, we are constrained to say that her directives are an indication of a dysfunctional transport sector that has been plagued by abjectly poor governance. Were it not so then it would not have needed the PMO's directives to the authorities to do what is their bounden duty to do, or the High Court's order to hold a nationwide survey to determine the number of unfit motor vehicles. The question is, does the PM have to intervene every time there is a disaster on the road? Why can't the relevant departments and agencies just do their job sincerely so that no such casualties take place in the first place?

There are separate departments in the administration to check the fitness of vehicles, driver license, route permit and so on. Ensuring public safety and maintaining order in the transport sector are the most important tasks of these departments, which they have constantly failed to do. If that was not the case, then the bus that killed the two schoolgoers would not have been on the road at all since it did not have a route permit, or thousands of unfit vehicles would not be plying the roads, or there wouldn't be so many drivers with fake or no licence at all.

The fact is, the transport sector is in total disarray. We have repeatedly talked about how it has been bedevilled by corruption, mismanagement and political influence over the years, and the need for a long-term solution to bring order in this sector. Those in charge of the transport sector must look within themselves to find the solutions and bring about necessary reforms in how it functions on a daily basis.