The government is gathering information on senior citizens and the disabled who will benefit from the bus fare subsidy programme.
 
The Permanent secretary in the Prime Minister’s office, Lieutant Colonel Pio Tikoduadua said that the elderly members of the community above the age of 60 were being accounted for so that no one missed out.
 
He said the same goes for those who are disabled and need to use a bus service.

He added the information is necessary as identification cards will be prepared for these people which will be presented to the bus driver when they board the bus.
 
The bus fare assistance to the elderly and disabled is packaged into a deal that Government recently brokered with the Fiji Bus Operators Association on the zero rating of VAT on bus fares.
 
Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama in announcing the assistance said a free bus service would be provided for disabled persons while the elderly would only have to pay half the price.
 
He announced that people above the age of 60 will be issued with ID cards by the relevant agency and they will pay only 50% of the normal fare and in addition free bus services will be provided by all bus operators to all disabled persons.

The programme is expected to be launched in a fortnight.



Story by: Sneh Chaudhry
Source: Minfo