A Diamond man who refused to pay the EC$1 bus fare from Diamond to Georgetown was fined EC$300.
Magistrate Bertie Pompey ordered Jevon Williams, 28, to pay the fine at a recent hearing at Colonarie Magistrate’s Court, sitting at Georgetown.
He was brought before the court on three charges, the others being indecent language and damaging a rearview mirror, value EC$150, the property of Keith Matthews of Park Hill.
However, the prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent of Police John Ballah, told the court that the Crown was not proceeding with those charges.
All three incidents allegedly occurred on Oct. 7.
The facts presented to the court are that on Oct. 7, the virtual complainant, Keith Matthews, drove H5479, a minivan, from Kingstown to Georgetown.
Williams boarded the vehicle in Diamond and disembarked at Mt Bentick, Georgetown.
However, when the conductor asked for the fare, Williams replied, “Boy, is a ride I beg for.”
Matthews exited the vehicle and asked for the fare but Williams refused to pay.
Asked by the magistrate if he had something to say, Williams told the court: “I didn’t have any money.”
Pompey fined the man EC$300, ordering him to pay EC$150 forthwith or 2 months imprisonment, and the remainder in two weeks or two months’ imprisonment.
Junior Nero, an officer attached to the Georgetown Police Station, told the court:
“There are too many times people are entering and exiting vans without paying”.
The road and traffic regulation states that passengers can be prosecuted for this, Nero said, adding that persons have been so prosecuted across the country.
Is one dollar the fare from Diamond to Georgetown I thought it was more.
We should implement a system like what they have in Barbados where you pay when I enter public transport buses.
More than reasonable fine. This should make others think before defrauding. The bus owner should be awarded a portion of that fine.
LOOKS LIKE JAIL TIME
Seems likely that ‘…Jail Time’ is steering the defendant in the face.
Now, if the .’…broke-pocket passenger’ could not pay the ‘…EC$1.00 Bus fare,’ unless he finds a reasonable paying job, it is unlikely that he will come up with the Court-ordered fine of EC$300. 00.
Seemed a shorter walk to prison than the long minivan ride from ‘…Diamond to Mt. Bentick, Georgetown.’
He should have told the bus operator he did not have any money
What then should a passenger, who is willing to pay, do when the vans decide to turn back before they reach their destination and they expect the passenger to pay and wait to catch another van?
That’s the perfect question for debate for one of those talk shows on radio. However, I for certain, know what I’ll do should I find myself in such situation as mentioned.