Transport spokesman wants update on El Hydro Limited bus contracts

July 30, 2026

A call is being made for Transport Minister Daryl Vaz to urgently provide an update on the state of the maintenance contracts with El Hydro Limited which supplied the 110 US-retired school buses to the Government, a year ago.

In a statement today, Opposition Spokesperson on Transport Mikael Phillips said part of the justification for the high price of the units was that the supplier would be maintaining the buses to guarantee safety and maximum fleet availability.

Mr. Phillips said the fire which destroyed one of the units yesterday has raised serious questions about the existence of effective maintenance, covering periodic pre-dispatch checks, routine servicing and whether all units have working fire extinguishers on board.

The spokesperson said he is relieved that no one was injured, as the incident took place during the summer break.

Mr. Phillips stressed that the Government must satisfy the public that all units will be checked, maintained and be roadworthy for the new school year.

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He also called on Mr. Vaz to provide an update on the procurement, arrival and deployment of the 100 new school buses which he promised earlier this year.

He said since the announcement, the Minister has failed to provide details even with the new school year fast approaching.