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For Portmore residents who rely on public transport daily, the addition of 93 new buses to the JUTC fleet was reason enough to gather at the Braeton depot yesterday where the vehicles were unveiled.

Jamaica Labour Party supporters came out in their numbers for the rollout, clad in their green and commending the Government for its moves to limit waiting times for commuters. They expressed hope that some of the buses will be added to their routes.

"Portmore by far is a brand in itself," said Nyeka Grivain, a resident of Independence City. "With the support we've been receiving from the government, Portmore is well on its way to becoming Jamaica's 15th parish. This investment is well deserved. Portmore deserves its own infrastructure." Grivain suggested that the sheer volume of commuters in Portmore makes it a natural candidate for a share of the new fleet.

"We have a large commuter base here in Portmore," she said. "So the investment in adding to the fleet is definitely welcomed." Others noted long wait times for some Portmoure commuters, especially the elderly.

A major talking point during the ceremony was the launch of a rural school bus system, an initiative that may not directly impact urban centres like Portmore, but one that still drew applause and support from attendees.

"The rural school bus system is definitely needed," Grivain said, reflecting on her work in various parishes. "Sometimes the children are waiting hours on the roadside. Some taxi drivers don't even want to carry students." Her sentiments were shared by 62-year-old Welton Shettlewood, who grew up in Clarendon.

"I fell off a bus coming from school," he recalled. "So I understand how important this is. From then until now, we've needed something like this." With years of observing how public systems work, Shettlewood was also critical of the Opposition's recent suggestion to use taxi and bus operators for school transport.

"Putting money into the hands of people without proper structure is risky," he said. "I've been following politics since 1972. We've seen where that kind of approach can go wrong. I think it is absolute foolishness."

Another Portmore resident, who identified himself as Juicy, said the school bus initiative could ease the burden on families.

"Yuh have some madda a send all six pickney go school and dem haffi find all a dat by demself," he said. "Sometimes the pickney dem even miss school cause dem cah find it. But now, dem nuh have no excuse." He also raised concerns about safety for schoolchildren.

"Mi nuh trust nuh taxi man, especially when it come on to di likkle girl dem," he said. "Now dem aguh safer cause dem have dem own bus."

"Parents nuh afi worry bout dem pickney a lap up and a travel ina bus and taxi weh a play any kinda music and a rock bus from left to right because school bus driver dem aguh duh better at following di road code, cah dem nuh wah lose dem work," he added.