THE RIDE IS ON! 🚌
Gratitude, determination and a reminder of what we can accomplish when we work together.
There are moments when community advocacy must give way to community celebration. And today, Choiseul on the Move is pleased to report one such moment.
After months of concerns, appeals, conversations, follow-ups and anxious waiting, the additional school transportation arrangement for students travelling from Lamaze and Roblot to Beanefield Secondary School has finally begun.
For the parents who have been digging deep into their pockets to finance daily transportation, this development represents more than another bus on the road.
It represents relief. It represents hope. And most importantly, it represents progress.
An arrangement has been introduced for students from Lamaze and Roblot to travel to the Three-Roads Junction, where they transfer to the designated school bus serving Beanefield Secondary School.
A First-Day Glitch — And a Parent Who Saved the Day
As is sometimes the case with newly introduced arrangements, the first morning did not go entirely according to plan.
The arrangement was straightforward: a bus would collect the children in Lamaze and Roblot and transport them to the Three-Roads Junction, where the designated school bus would be waiting to take them to Beanefield Secondary School.
Unfortunately, when the children arrived at the junction, the designated school bus had already departed.
It appears there may have been a communication or scheduling misunderstanding during the initial coordination of the service.
But what happened next deserves special recognition.
❤️ A Parent Who Went Above and Beyond
One concerned mother had decided to accompany her child that morning to see for herself how the new transportation arrangement would operate.
As fate would have it, her presence turned out to be a blessing.
When she discovered that the connecting school bus had already left, she did not abandon the children or wait helplessly for someone else to resolve the situation.
She took immediate action, placed all five affected students on another bus and personally paid their fares so they could get to school.
She subsequently contacted the Parliamentary Representative, and the coordination problem was addressed to prevent a recurrence.
To that mother, whose name we have deliberately not mentioned, we extend a heartfelt and very special THANK YOU.
Your actions demonstrated what community responsibility is all about. You did not think only of your own child. You looked out for every child who found themselves stranded that morning.
That is the spirit of community we must never lose.
Thank You, Kiffo — Credit Where Credit Is Due
Throughout this campaign, Choiseul on the Move has maintained regular communication with Parliamentary Representative for Choiseul/Saltibus, Keithson “Kiffo” Charles, regarding the difficulties facing affected parents.
There were moments of frustration. There were questions about delays. There were occasions when we pressed for clearer answers and more definite timelines.
And yes, there were times when our persistence may have tested the patience of those involved.
But the objective was never personal or political.
It was always about getting our children to school without placing an unbearable financial burden on their parents.
Today, we are pleased to acknowledge that the Parliamentary Representative followed through with efforts to secure the additional transportation arrangement.
We thank him for engaging the relevant authorities, communicating developments and responding when the first-day difficulty was brought to his attention.
On behalf of the affected parents and students, we express sincere appreciation for your intervention and for helping to move this long-standing concern towards a practical solution. We hope the service will now operate consistently and reliably.
A Word About Community Advocacy
There is another important lesson in this experience.
Sometimes people wonder whether raising community concerns through a blog, a Facebook post or direct communication with public officials really makes a difference.
Well, this experience demonstrates the value of persistence, respectful engagement and constructive advocacy.
Choiseul on the Move raised the issue, highlighted the burden facing parents, questioned the inequality in transportation arrangements and continued seeking answers.
We did not allow the matter to disappear simply because assurances had been given.
And when progress was reported, we acknowledged it.
That is what responsible community advocacy should be about.
I make no apology for being persistent when the welfare of our children is at stake.
But I also believe that when someone responds positively to a genuine community concern, we must be gracious enough to acknowledge it.
This was never about claiming a personal victory. It was about ensuring that struggling parents received some relief and that their children were given a fair opportunity to attend school.
Today, I am happy to say thank you to everyone who helped make this possible.
The Real Winners Are Our Children
There are no political winners or losers in this story.
The real winners are the children who can now look forward to a more manageable journey to school.
The winners are the parents who can breathe a little easier knowing that one more financial burden may finally be reduced.
And the winner is our community, which has demonstrated that concerns raised constructively can lead to meaningful action.
Of course, the first-day difficulty also reminds us that proper coordination, clear communication between drivers and reliable pickup times are essential.
We trust that the adjustments reportedly made will ensure the service operates smoothly in the days ahead.
From Promises to Progress
Those who follow Choiseul on the Move know that I have often repeated an old saying:
But today, I would like to add something to that saying:
A promise fulfilled can restore confidence, ease hardship and remind people that their voices matter.
We welcome this development with gratitude, and we hope it marks the beginning of a dependable transportation arrangement for the students who need it.
Thank you, Kiffo.
Thank you to our caring parent.
Thank you to everyone who stayed the course.
CHOISEUL ON THE MOVE
Our Community. Our People. Our Stories.
Recognizing progress. Encouraging accountability. Celebrating community spirit.
