Taxi operators vote to strike on Monday

Taxi operators have voted for an islandwide shut down of the public transport sector on Monday morning, given that the Government has not granted a traffic ticket amnesty request from the Transport Operators Development Sustainable Services (TODSS).

They were of the view that a request for the amnesty would go to Cabinet on Monday, but were informed this weekend that it would not. This has triggered the protest action. 

At a meeting hosted by the TODSS at Half-Way Tree Primary School in St Andrew, on Sunday afternoon, 99 per cent of those present voted for the strike action. 

Egeton Newman, president of the TODSS, told them that discussions with Minister of Transport and Mining, Audley Shaw, did not definitively state that an amnesty was on the horizon. 

“We need to send a message to the Government for an amnesty. They give gunmen amnesty! Foolishness! Give us the amnesty! We are willing to pay! All we want is a payment plan,” Newman said. 

Newman wants payment plans ranging from six months to four months. 

“If they give us three months, we can make use of the three months. The last time we got an amnesty, I think it was four months and the Government raked in nearly $900 million dollars, so I think if the Government really wants some money, use the amnesty,” he said. 

He continued, “The amnesty is a payment plan without the police on your back.” 

The operators have indicated the strike could continue for up to four days or until they get a favourable response from the Government. 

- Ainsworth Morris

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