Guinea-Bissau drivers threaten to paralyze public transport next week

The Federation of Drivers and Transport Associations of Guinea-Bissau has announced a strike from August 22 to 26, which could lead to a paralysis of public transport in the country, Karam Kassama, president of the organization, told Lusa.

This Wednesday, Kassama sent a letter to the Minister of Transport, Aristides Okante da Silva, announcing the strike “after several efforts in trying to find sustainable solutions and social peace in the transport sector.”

The leader of drivers and public transport workers in Guinea-Bissau said the strike would also take place due to “non-compliance with the memorandum of understanding” signed with the government.

In 2021, after a wave of public transport strikes, both parties signed a memorandum whereby the government committed to abolish the Rodoviário (road tax) collection until the roads were repaired, causing the traffic police to suspend collection of fines on public roads. use. that payments are made at the cash desk, and even that stops are being reduced.

“In view of the non-implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (…) and the lack of the will of the government, the Federation declares a general land transport strike at the national level from 00:00 on the 22nd to the 26th. dated August 2022,” reads a letter that Karam Kassama sent to the Minister of Transport and to which Lusa had access.

In the same letter, Kassama warns that if the government does not implement the memorandum of understanding, the strike could continue in “successive waves”.

In recent days, some public vehicles have stopped vehicles in protest against a giant stop operation organized by the Traffic and Ground Transportation Service, customs and the National Guard to demand a set of documents from drivers and cars.

The carriers, which have ceased operations, accused the authorities of causing damage to them by the operation, carried out at the height of the rainy season.

Andre Deuna, Director General of Road and Ground Transportation, refuted the criticism of the carriers and stressed that everything is done within the law.