The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMIAN taxi drivers continue to face competition from hotels providing ground transportation to their guests off-property, their union president is alleging.

"You still have hotels who are operating in the ground transportation sector, taking guests back and forth in vehicles with just a private plate," said Bahamas Taxicab Union (BTU) president, Phillip Watkins.

"That is something the union has been battling for years. Evidently something must be written in these Heads of Agreement contrary to the Road Traffic Act. These persons think that they can bring a vehicle in, hire a driver and and take fares that really should be for taxi drivers. That is a battle we continue to fight. That's an issue we continue to face."

Mr Watkins also suggested that the long-standing practice of leasing taxi plates may be here to stay, even though the Minnis administration has indicated it is eyeing regulations to manage the issuance of taxi plates.

Anthony Newbold, the Prime Minister's press secretary, previously indicated that the Government was also looking to move away from leasing taxi plates. But Mr Watkins told Tribune Business: "The leasing of plates has been with us forever. We don't want to play with words, but we are trying to move away from the term lease."

Mr Watkins added that drivers who retired or were no longer able to operate their cabs would lease their plates to another driver, or offer their plate to a younger driver who would in turn receive revenue. "That is a practice that continues today and will happen for a long time to come," he added.