GOVERNMENT needs to involve the bus industry in its deliberations in formulating the best policies going forward with a win-win situation.
Fiji Bus Operators Association (FBOA) president Richard Lal made this call at their annual convention Novotel in Lami yesterday, saying that would provide the platform for open discussions and analysis with cost benefit considering the higher capital expenditure, product suppliers, life cycle costs, maintenance cost, infrastructure provision, and suitability of the technology shift products and human resource training for the new technology.
“There has to be a timeline with adequate lead time for adjustments and alignment by all stakeholders,” Mr Lal said.
“It has to be programmed and staged over a reasonable period of time.”
Mr Lal said while the future was being deliberated, there was an urgent need to review Government support with zero rated VAT against theconcessions provided by the bus industry and cost increases.
He said there had been no cost adjustments for the last nine years.
“There is no parallel example of this in any other industry or business in Fiji.
“We have to jointly determine how best to increase revenue for the bus industry.”
