24 Mar 2010

Some Tonga bus owners strike for second day

12:40 pm on 24 March 2010

About half of Tonga's busses are off the roads on the second day of a strike, which has divided Tonga's Bus Association.

Bus drivers are angry at increases in the annual licence fee from over 46 US dollars to 216 dollars and the registration fee from 28 US dollars to 162 dollars.

The transport minister has assured them that the fees would be cut.

But our correspondent, Mateni Tapueluelu, reports some members are not convinced.

"Some busses are running and some are still on strike. There's a split in the Bus Association. Those that have offered to go on with the strike believe that with the government of Tonga you need to see the written confirmation from cabinet making the decision. The other half believe that the words of the minister of transport is good enough, therefore the busses run today. So it's half half. The cabinet is yet to confirm the decision."