Domestic
The Urgent Need for Deep Reform
More than just a social movement, the strike that paralyzed the entire city of Antananarivo reveals the fragility of the public transport system in the capital. On the ground, it is once again the users who have paid the price for the failures of a sector vital to socioeconomic life. Widespread suffering was observed yesterday among thousands of workers, students, and traders forced to modify their routes, sometimes at the cost of long hours of walking or waiting. Faced with the shortage of taxibé, the Refondation regime opted for an emergency solution by deploying Foton electric buses imported from China by the previous regime, to mitigate the consequences of the strike. Welcomed by users, this measure raises a legitimate question: why have these buses, acquired several years ago with public funds, been so invisible in the urban transport landscape until now? If these vehicles are capable of transporting citizens today, why were they not integrated earlier into a comprehensive transport modernization strategy, as previous authorities had intended? There is also the question of whether there are really technical obstacles to their use: why have current authorities not communicated more about these constraints? In any case, beyond the political controversy, the real issue is not about which regime can claim paternity of these buses. What matters is the effectiveness of their use in service of citizens. Public infrastructure should never become hostage to political rivalries or communication calculations. In any case, this crisis above all recalls the urgent need for deep reform of urban transport in Antananarivo. A capital of several million inhabitants cannot depend almost exclusively on a single mode of transport. It needs a diversified, modern, reliable network capable of withstanding crises.
Source: Midi Madagasikara