PTSC driver who took bus praised by attorney

After an employee of the Public Transportation Service Corporation (PTSC) demonstrated how easy it was to leave the compound with a PTSC bus on Monday, he is being praised by criminal attorney Mario Merritt for highlighting the problem.

The employee, a bus driver, came under heavy criticism on social media.

He made another video explaining to the public that the video was a leak from his work WhatsApp group chat.

He said, “People must be more concerned instead of taking things and run with it on social media. You don’t get medals for doing this. This was a personal group for employees only, not all of TT.

“This individual decided to be vindictive by moving the video to Facebook and Instagram. I will deal with the person separately because he had no right to tarnish my name or to bring that type of attention to me. I can say what I want in my personal chat.”

In an interview on Wednesday, Merritt said after seeing the video on social media, he is willing to support the driver free of charge if the PTSC decides to take any disciplinary action against him.

Merritt said the driver acted in the best interest of the PTSC.

“For the driver to suffer any consequences for doing a good thing, I cannot agree with that. The driver should be praised for actually thinking about the company.

“Do you know there are people who are paid to do exactly what the employee did? They come into an organisation to show the flaws in the system. Consultants are paid to do that,” he said.

Merritt said the driver was not being malicious towards the PTSC and should not be punished for a good act.

He said his entire office would have no difficulty supporting the driver's defence if PTSC takes any disciplinary action.

“Not just me but the whole of Regius Chambers will be willing to assist in his defence in any capacity whatsoever.

“This is a worker trying to...demonstrate the existence of a problem at PTSC. Yes, there are many different ways to do it but his was to actually demonstrate – not with any malintent – that the company has not been securing its property.”

Merritt said the driver raised the consciousness of citizens and those in authority that there are problems at PTSC.

He said the fact that the video was leaked into the public domain strengthens the point the driver was making.

“It was not someone who was trying to be malicious, but looking to show the workers have issues at the organisation. I can remember having a conversation with a previous worker who said he was part of a process to take things, it was like an organised robbery (of) PTSC.

“I spoke with PTSC about it. And to find out these things are still a live issue – people could come on the property and take the vehicles and go, whether employees or not – the security system has clearly lapsed,” he said.

Merritt said he is elated to know there are citizens who are willing to say things as they see it and inform the public.