A fresh fuel price increase that took effect on June 1 in Saint Lucia has reignited calls from the island nation’s top public transport industry body for the establishment of a standardized, automatic mechanism to tie public transit fares to volatile fuel costs.
Godfrey Ferdinand, president of the National Council on Public Transport (NCOPT), made the call in the wake of the government’s official announcement of the adjusted fuel prices. Under the revised rates, which align with fluctuations in global crude oil markets through Saint Lucia’s updated fuel pricing framework, both gasoline and diesel have jumped from $16.00 to $16.75 per imperial gallon, while kerosene has seen an even steeper increase from $9.66 to $10.41 per gallon.
Ferdinand notes the latest price hike did not come as a surprise, but he argues that government officials failed in their responsibility to consult transport operators before finalizing and announcing the change. Reflecting the frustration shared across the sector, he remarked, “When I heard that news, I said, ‘Here we go again’.” The price hike, he emphasizes, exposes a deeper, long-standing issue: a persistent lack of coordinated planning between national government agencies and the public transport industry.
Instead of repeating the familiar cycle of public debate, last-minute negotiations, and ad-hoc fare adjustment requests every time international fuel prices shift, Ferdinand says Saint Lucia needs a formal, pre-agreed formula that directly links bus fare rates to fuel cost levels. Under this proposed system, fare adjustments would trigger automatically when fuel prices cross set threshold levels. For example, if fuel hits $14 per gallon, fares would adjust to a pre-defined corresponding rate, and a rise to $17 per gallon would trigger a matching, pre-determined fare change. Ferdinand explains that this transparent structure would bring clarity for both operators and daily commuters, eliminating the repeated disputes and uncertainty that currently surround fare adjustment discussions. It would also allow all stakeholders to operate within a predictable, professional framework, he adds.
Contrary to some narratives, Ferdinand clarifies that public transport operators do not feel betrayed by the latest increase, despite previous government efforts to cap fuel prices to ease cost burdens. What does frustrate the sector, he says, is that operators are consistently framed negatively by the public whenever fuel prices rise. He points out that transport businesses are forced to absorb a large share of fuel-related cost increases, which is why the sector is always the first to speak out about price shifts. As a result, the public has unfairly demonized operators for advocating for fare adjustments to offset higher input costs.
Ferdinand also draws attention to the long gap between the last approved fare increase and the current cost landscape. A planned fare adjustment approved in 2013 was only implemented in 2022, meaning the next July will mark six full years since the last change to bus fares. While some independent operators have already called for immediate fare hikes, the NCOPT plans to take a cautious approach, monitoring market shifts over the next three weeks before deciding whether to formally submit a request for fare adjustments. Ferdinand says the council’s position is clear: if operating conditions shift further against operators, the industry will move forward with a formal request.
He stresses that any future fare adjustment must follow the full formal regulatory process, which includes convening a dedicated fare committee, collecting input from all relevant industry associations, conducting a full review and issuing formal recommendations, and ultimately securing legislative approval from national authorities.
Looking at past government support measures designed to ease the impact of rising fuel costs on transport operators, Ferdinand says targeted fuel rebates have delivered little meaningful relief. He describes the current rebate structure as providing just five cents per day to operators in exchange for holding off on fare increases, a sum too small to purchase even basic goods in Saint Lucia’s current economy. He stresses that the NCOPT and its members are not seeking confrontation with the government; operators simply need sustainable support to keep their businesses running. “We have a business to operate, we have to run and maintain the vehicles. So we need something that is substantial to be able to do that,” he says.
As of yet, the NCOPT has not reached out to the national Department of Transport to initiate discussions following the latest fuel price adjustment. Still, Ferdinand argues that relevant government ministries should have proactively opened consultations before the new prices took effect. He also referenced a previous study commissioned as part of a broader Caribbean Development Bank analysis, which aimed to develop an evidence-based framework for setting bus fares that accounts for local factors including Saint Lucia’s challenging terrain, general inflation, and the real-world operating dynamics of the public transport sector. Ferdinand says it would be beneficial for the government to release the key findings of that study to the public to inform ongoing discussions.