The Tribune

THE head of the Bahamas Taxi Cab Union is calling for Transport Minister JoBeth Coleby-Davis to resign, claiming that her decisions since assuming office have caused utter “chaos” and “turmoil” in the industry.

The union’s grievances stem from the minister’s decision to issue hundreds of taxi plates last year which the union says has caused the market to become oversaturated.

Wesley Ferguson, BTCU’s president, told The Tribune yesterday that drivers are still fed up from the move and now just want the minister gone as she has refused to meet with them to address their concerns.

However, Mrs Coleby-Davis has denied this, saying she has always left a line of communication open to the union.

“When the minister gave out more than 800 plates in the space of two to three months, that put the taxi industry in a tailspin,” Mr Ferguson told this newspaper, noting that the move has also negatively affected taxi drivers.

 He said the union also gave the minister “a golden opportunity” to set guidelines on taxi fares, but claimed she refused to take advantage of the opportunity.

 “What she did was. . .letting taxi drivers have their own interpretation of what a fare should be and now it’s out of control,” he added.

 “Because now you have new taxi drivers who just entered the industry who knows nothing about taxi driving, who doesn’t care about the industry and don’t care about tourists nor the government, all they want to do is make that money so the taxi industry is now in turmoil because of the minister being so reckless in her behaviour.”

 The union president said some taxi drivers are now charging customers whatever they see fit.

 “This is not only happening in Nassau, but it’s in Abaco, in Freeport, Exuma and Long Island is having the same situation where the resort owners do not know what the taxi fare is from point A and point B,” Mr Ferguson continued.

 “That is why we wanted to meet with the minister before November to alleviate these grey areas when it comes to taxi fares, but the minister took it upon herself to do her own thing, thinking she was doing such a tremendous job with consultation and that’s why she is in hot water that she’s in now.”

 Mr Ferguson also claimed that despite his many attempts to get into contact with Minister Coleby-Davis, she has refused to answer his calls.

 “The minister has blocked me from all of her media outlets like WhatsApp,” he continued. “She has blocked my telephone calls - so there is no way I can set up a meeting with the minister because she has blocked all avenues for the union to meet with her and she decided that she’s going to do what she feels like doing so she is union busting so she needs to go.”

 Responding to these claims, Mrs Coleby-Davis said when she tried to set up a meeting with the union in November, she was told by union executives that they were unable to meet at that time.

 “There was a communication and I think that was maybe November, early November, and they advised that they weren’t available to meet at that date we had given them and we told them, well advise us when they return from Abaco when they’re available and I don’t think I have seen any communications since then,” she told reporters in a recent interview.

 “I could be wrong. I checked my phones. I checked my emails, and I didn’t leave anyone on read.”

 The minister said she has no problems meeting with taxi drivers to help resolve their issues, but was adamant that she would not tolerate the “continued disrespect that comes every time the union speaks to the press.”

 She also said: “That’s not how I think we should run the business of the country. It should be with respect. I’ve respected everyone. I have treated everyone fairly and that’s how I expect to be treated as the minister.”

 Mr Ferguson shot back at these assertions yesterday, saying “she was the one who disrespected the union by giving out taxi plates without union consultations and that’s a grave concern for the union because this equates to union busting.”