New Taxi Centre at Port

The Taxi Drivers Association is now fully set towards making their organisation more reliable and well organized.

On Thursday, June 8, at the Cruise ship terminal, the organization opened their new Taxi Centre equipped with office communication devices, and washroom facilities.{{more}}

President of the Taxi Drivers Association, Angus Martin, noted that the opening of the office was the result of a long struggle. He praised past presidents who had toiled since the the establishment of the organization in 1975 to make the association thrive.

He, credited past president, the late George Mason, for spearheading the move towards acquisition of the headquarters building which he noted would be better able to serve not only their members but the travelling public.

Martin explained, “The office would be a base where drivers could be able to be in constant communication when out on the field. Things can go wrong but when this happens we as an organization could respond rapidly.”

The president also announced that members would be trained and certified so that they become more reliable, punctual and confident.

Martin noted that visitors get one of their first impressions of the country through taxi service providers. Hence the reason why they can viewed as ambassadors.

He expressed the organisation’s plans to give back to the country by adopting the Questelles beach. He pointed out, “We hope to clean and develop it with proper wash room facilities, plants and recreational seating, so that tourists could go to that nice black sand beach and have a swim. The beach has a lot of potential and all it needs is someone to take care of it.”

President Martin also announced that since the beginning of the year, members of the association have been transporting senior citizens who are ill free of charge to the hospital as part of their contribution to the society.

He, however, stressed that this special treatment would only be given by certified members who sport the yellow stickers on the sides of their vehicles.

He noted that the 70 taxi drivers who make up the organisation face competition from private drivers who manipulate the system, by changing their vehicles into hired (H) vehicles without realising the frailty of the profession.

He said many of these “counterfeit taxi drivers” may over charge or under charge their customers and also give unprofessional service which defeats the progress of the Taxi Drivers Association.

He also called on drivers to continue to improve their standards – a sentiment that was reiterated by both Minister of Tourism Glen Beache, and Culture Minister Rene Baptiste. The building was blessed by Pastor Stephen Ollivierre. The building was blessed by Pastor Stephen Ollivierre.