New Chief Transport Officer Promises Stringent Compliance Measures for Bus Operators

The Ministry of Transports’ new Chief Transport Officer, Leon Gentle, says he’s hitting the ground running. Gentle was appointed to the post last month after the previous CTO, Dian Vasquez, did not renew her contract. Gentle crossed over from the Ministry of Education and holds a master’s degree in education. Today, he had his first talk with the media and spoke about how he is going to hold bus operators to task to ensure they comply with the new standard set out by his ministry. 

Leon Fitzgerald Gentle, Chief Transportation Officer: “We’ve been in dialogue since I’ve been in office and we’ve had several meetings with them to look at what it is that we’re trying to do as it relates to transport and improving the quality of service for those commuters on the road. So it’s important for us to continue to dialogue with them and to ensure that what it is we’ve discussed is what we hold them to task. We are requesting that there is an upgrade in terms of the seating and as well as an upgrade in terms of the years in the bus itself, the life of the bus. So it’s important for them to understand that the standards have not really changed as it relates to those that have been in place for some time now it’s just that we want to improve the quality of service that is there for the commuters. At the end of the day what we hold our standards to is what we have in writing so that is most important for us at this point. So we’ll be having some more meetings with them to ensure that as we go along we continue to do some inspections to help them to upgrade to see what it is that we can do as a ministry to improve the standards that are available.”

Minister of Transport Rodwell Ferguson also weighed in on Gentle appointment and says that he was chosen by a panel of professional from the ministry.

Rodwell Ferguson, Minister of Transport:“When the past transport officer did not apply because her contract was expired and she was negotiating with the Ministry of Finance for an additional pay and that became void and so there was a need for a new Chief Transport Officer and so I said as the Minister I don’t want to appoint anybody again to avoid any animosity so I asked the Ministry of Public Service to advertise the post. I believe about five or six or seven people applied and it was zeroed down to three. Mr.Leon Gentle, the Deputy Chief Mr.Peter Williams and a lady from Cayo I can’t remember he name and the panelists sat down with three of them and Mr.Leon Gentle became successful over the three. He has a Masters Degree in Education and with leadership skills.”

Gentle is the third person to hold the post this year.