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The People's National Party (PNP) has moved to reaffirm its support for the implementation of a comprehensive rural school transportation system.

According to the PNP, such system must ensure that students can travel to and from school safely, reliably, and with dignity.

The party's comment comes against the backdrop of a firestorm which erupted after its president, Mark Golding, described the fleet as "100 old buses". Another senior party member, Peter Bunting, raised alarm, stating that "this is an engineering and safety issue".

"These were pulled out of circulation in the United States because their engines are tired, their suspensions are worn, [and] their wiring systems are brittle," said Bunting, who warned that their use in Jamaica could prove catastrophic.

In a media release yesterday, the PNP said any rural school transportation system that is implemented should be grounded in safety, operational efficiency and with specifications suitability to the Jamaican terrain for long-term sustainability.

"We support the vision of a rural school bus system. But what we oppose is the reckless manner in which the Government is going about its implementation, importing decommissioned buses that were taken out of service abroad and are not designed for Jamaica's terrain or operating conditions," opposition spokesman on transport Mikael Phillips said.

The PNP has noted that these buses were retired from service in the United States America. It reasoned that it is questionable for the Jamaican Government to now deploy these same units to transport Jamaica's children across hilly, winding rural routes, without tests and a clear public explanation of their fitness for purpose or maintenance capacity.