Taxi protest forces early dismissal at Frome Technical High School

Classes at Frome Technical High School in Westmoreland have been suspended as several students and teachers were left stranded this morning due to a strike by taxi operators.

The disgruntled taxi operators withdrew their services and blocked sections of the Grange Hill to Savanna-la-Mar roadway to protest against poor road condition.

Frome's provisional principal Dorrset Taylor said given the breakdown in logistics that occurred with canteen staff where they were not unable to get to school, as a result of the roadblock, she had no other choice but to dismiss school early.

"Calls came in from teachers that they were unable to come to school so we put some plans in action," Taylor told The Gleaner in an interview.

She said students travelling from Negril and Savanna-la-Mar had to return home as they were not able to get transportation to school in time for classes.

Early this morning, taxi operators, who were supported by residents in Tollgate, used old appliances and garbage to block the roadway and called for the authorities to fix the bad roads and vowed to continue to demonstrate if nothing is done in the coming days.

- Albert Ferguson

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