Some commuters in St Thomas stranded as cabbies protest
Published:Monday | April 25, 2022 | 11:52 AM
Scores of commuters including students in St Thomas were this morning left stranded as taxi operators withdrew their services in protest over what they describe as unacceptable road conditions across the parish.
The operators say that contractors on the ongoing Southern Coastal Highway Project have dug up various sections of the main thoroughfare, leaving areas in a deplorable state.
Though it pains taxi operator Horace, who plies the Morant Bay to Port Morant route, to see students stranded, he says he has to do what needs to get the authorities to act.
“St Thomas nuh stay good none at all. We want development because that's good and investors will be coming in but right now a pure precipice in the road. The man dem dig up five miles out a road and gone leave it. We want better than this… for the people,” he said.
President of the Eastern Taxi Association, Kirk Brown, told The Gleaner that though the strike was not a decision of the body, he is in full support of the actions of the operators.
“They are feeling the pinch of the bad road and I couldn't tell them not to [protest]. Once they're not doing anything illegal like blocking the road, I am on board. I know children want to go to school and people want to go to work but what will happen if all our vehicles break down? There will still be none to take them,” he reasoned.
According to Brown, the group has had several meetings with the contractor of the road improvement project, China Harbour, but to no avail.
“We meet a lot of times to see what can be done to have the road in drivable conditions and we have gotten many promises but nothing has changed. It cannot continue like this,” he said.
The operators say they will continue the protest until their concerns are addressed.
- Shanna kaye Monteith
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