Hundreds of public transport drivers from the Cibao region blocked roads in Santiago yesterday, Tuesday 5 November, causing major traffic jams in the city center, in protest at competition from Transporte Noel, a company from the capital. Transporte Noel wants to compete offering commuters better quality of service.
The protest was organized by the CNTT transport union, which is led by Juan Marte.
Marte said that the buses and minibuses were parked from 9am to 11:30am to draw attention to the situation and that 1,900 drivers took part in the protest. Marte says that Santiago already has the buses it needs.
Bus unions like CNTT have traditionally monopolized the routes and are known for their use of vandalistic methods to prevent competition, with government complicity, despite this practice being in violation of freedom of business rights in the Dominican Republic.
He went on to say that as usual their protest would be peaceful and the National Police on the scene confirmed that there were no reports of any confrontations.
Marte also called on immigration inspectors not to confiscate buses with illegal Haitian passengers, saying it was not the drivers’ job to check their passengers’ documentation.
www.listindiario.com/la-republica/2013/11/5/298396/Transportistas-Cibao-bloquean-calles-en-protesta-contra-una-empresa