An amendment to the Land Transport Act is needed before any decision on bus fare rates can come into effect.

An amendment to the Land Transport Act is needed before any decision on bus fare rates can come into effect.

Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum has tabled a Bill in parliament to allow the Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission to make determinations on bus fares.

“We need to have an amendment to the actual act itself so we give the responsibility to FCCC, FCCC or its equivalent in many jurisdictions is the independent body devoid of politics, devoid of influence by corporations, etc, where they make assessments if there is a monopolistic position”. 

Sayed-Khaiyum says the FCCC has already made an assessment and held consultations with bus operators but the Commission cannot implement new fares under current laws which only empowers the Transport Minister to make such decisions.

National Federation Party leader Professor Biman Prasad says more discussions should be done before any changes are made to the law.

“I’m not sure what sort of consultations have been done but I think what can happen as part of the powers that can be given to the Minister to make regulations, itself could be politicized in the future”

The Land Transport Amendment Bill will be debated tomorrow.