The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas Taxi Cab Union’s (BTU) president says he is concerned over the number of unlicensed operators within the industry.

Wesley Ferguson told Tribune Business: “That is one if the concerns that we have. What a lot of people do not understand is that the Government really made a boo-boo when they took the SD plates and made them the same as the taxi plates.”

The Canadian government, in an updated travel advisory to its citizens last week, highlighted the issue of “unlicensed operators” and warned its citizens to not accept rides “from strangers or from unlicensed taxi drivers”.

“That’s what the Canadian government is warning about, unlicensed taxi drivers,” Mr Ferguson added. “They are talking about those persons driving SDs under the guise of being a taxi driver. Those persons are not insured to do so, nor are they authorised to do so by any entity. You can’t charge people to ride an SD. That is what the travel advisory pertaining to taxi drivers is all about.”

The advisory, which was listed on the Canadian government’s website travel.gc.ca, did note that crime in The Bahamas has decreased.

“There has been a decrease in violent crime since the beginning of 2018,” the advisory said. “Crime, however, including violent crime, still occurs, mainly on the islands of Grand Bahama and New Providence.

“Armed robberies, burglaries, purse snatchings, theft, fraud and sexual assaults are the most common crimes committed against travellers in Freeport and Nassau. Incidents of robbery also take place in cruise ship terminals and in and around popular resort areas, even in daylight hours. Crime increases during the holidays.”