Taxi Associations across the island might remove the fare increase demand off the table come this Thursday. This is due to an unwillingness by the Government to comply with their requests over several months. President of the Transport Operator Development Sustainable Services Egeton Newman says operators are in need of the increase but are uncertain of it ever happening.
Despite several protests in September leaving commuters stranded for hours, the Government appears to have gone silent on the issue. Now, Newman is questioning whether both political parties are afraid to speak about the issue due to pending elections. He believes how the matter is handled will affect either party at the polls.
Speaking with CVM LIVE, Newman went further to note that he does not blame the Minister of Transport, Robert Montague as the fare increase is a cabinet decision. He says the taxi associations are also being told that research must be conducted on the potential increase before it is granted or denied.
Now, this Thursday, taxi associations will be meeting to have further discussions on whether they will continue the call for a wage increase. Newman says operators are frustrated and still demanding a one hundred percent increase. However, as it draws closer to the end of the year, it seems that this will not be met.
TODSS Boss is again calling for the ministry of transport to return the Office of Utilities Regulation to regain oversight of the transport authority. He believes that if this was done, there would be greater order and the matter would have already been addressed.
KHADIJAH THOMAS
