Blanchisseuse commuters stranded

Passengers were left stranded yesterday as some eight bus drivers of the Public Transport Service Corporation failed to report for work. At 6 pm yesterday evening Newsday received a plea for help from an irate commuter who said he and a dozen others had been waiting since 1 pm for a bus from Arima to Blanchisseuse. He lamented that the commuters were heavily laden with Christmas shopping including one man carrying live chickens.

When Newsday called PTSC headquarters at South Quay, Port-of-Spain, we were told that some eight drivers had failed to turn up for duty, some claiming their sick leave entitlement. The next available service, we were told, would be at 5 am on Wednesday morning. The stranded Blanchisseuse commuters told Newsday that meanwhile they would be seeking assistance from Arima MP Pennelope Beckles who was also their local MP.