The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

A taxi union leader yesterday said all drivers should be eligible to do business with Baha Mar, adding that he has been arguing for the same reforms proposed by the resort developer for the past 20 years.

    Richard Johnson, the Public Service Drivers Union (PSDU) president, blamed political interference for the decades-long delays in enacting some of the proposed taxi industry reforms.

He added that the union, which he said has 201 members, has been agitating for the outright ownership of the taxi franchise,  a valuation of each taxi franchise, and the responsibility for all ground transportation from the docks, airports and hotels.

    Baha Mar executives recently told Tribune Business that the developer was aiming to “raise the product and profile” of the taxi cab industry to ensure it reflects the major tourism-related investments and upgrades in New Providence.

Tribune Business understands that the proposal involves the upgrade of the taxi fleet via new vehicles, which will be outfitted to give wi-fi access to passengers. It is also designed to end the moratorium on plates by allowing the incorporation of 200-250 new licences in the industry, helping to establish a new franchise system.

    Mr Johnson said the PSDU is one of three taxi unions in the country, the other two being the  Bahamas Taxi Cab Union and the Grand Bahama Public Service Drivers Union.

“We have been trying to get successive governments over the last 20 years to understand that the taxi business is just that, a business, and that the drivers should be controlling it,” Mr Johnson said.

“Baha Mar is now looking to get taxi drivers involved in the ground transportation business

to the exclusion of the Public Service Drivers Union, and that cannot be fair.

    “We have done all the work. The Public Service Drivers Union has been pushing this initiative for the last 20 years. We were disappointed at what has taken place. It’s unfair. All taxi drivers should be eligible to do business with Baha Mar.”

Mr Johnson said he has written to Baha Mar chairman and chief executive, Sarkis Izmirlian, on the matter but has not received a response up to this point.

According to Mr Johnson, there are 1,135 taxi plates in circulation but it is difficult to say how many of those are presently in operation, hence the need for an audit.

  Mr Johnson added that prior to the passing of Majestic Tours founder, William ‘Billy’ Saunders, “the taxi union partners were in negotiations with him to purchase the assets of Majestic Tours”.

Mr Johnson declined to give further details on those discussions yesterday. Mr Saunders passed away at age 85 on Monday.