Local operators of public land transportation do not have the authority to arbitrarily increase fares, as was recently done by hire car drivers operating at Diamond car park, East Bank Demerara.This is according to Irfaan Ali, Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce during a brief interview with this publication on this burning issue affecting commuters within recent weeks.Diamond Car ParkThe Minister was stern that commuters should not pay the demanded increase. And,Cheap Adidas Hockey Jerseys, they should report the car’s license plate numbers to the nearest police station for action, he added.Commuters using the Diamond/Grove “inside” hire cars located near Demerara Distillers Limited’s ‘high bridge’ are complaining about the $140 they are now forced to pay for a “drop to spot” and $100 on the public road. Previously, the fare was $100 and $60 respectivelyAccording to a female commuter, she joined a hire car two Mondays ago and was informed by the driver that the new fare was $140. Upon inquiring about the increases,Supply Cheap Jerseys, the driver said the taxi association authorized the increases and whosoever refuses to pay the fares should not travel with the hire cars, the woman said.The woman related that this is not the only transportation problem commuters destined for Diamond,Wholesale Jerseys, are encountering. She said that passengers are forced to pay $160 from Georgetown to “inside” Diamond whether or not they disembark along the stretch.According to the woman, if it becomes mandatory for passengers to pay the $140 for a “drop to spot” and $160 from Georgetown to Diamond,Wholesale NFL Jerseys, it would no longer be affordable for commuters to travel.“Just look at it…It takes $460 for a person to travel to and from Diamond daily…that is $9,200 monthly. Come on,China Jerseys, think of a family of four …that would be $36,800. That is a huge chunk of a minimum wage family’s income,” she stressed.The woman emphasized that it is not the desire of passengers to travel with minibuses from Georgetown to “inside” Diamond.However, with the majority of the minibuses traveling that “route” rather Georgetown to Grove, passengers have to use the Georgetown to Diamond minibuses or stand for hours at the 42 Bus Park.”She stressed that the authorities need to come up with a solution to this problem. The woman said if the deplorable state of the roads is the justification for the fare increases then the authorities should upgrade them.