BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – A problem that has been brewing for several months has forced taxi and tour operators to take protest action today (May 16) to make their voices heard by government officials, noticeably those in the tourism sector.
The operators took to the streets to protest an unfair dispatch system currently in place at Port Zante, which many indicated is benefiting Safari tour operators and leaving many of the smaller operators to go home “empty handed at the end of the day”.
Approximately 20 operators, led by popular taxi serviceman Sylvester Hodge, drove through the streets in downtown Basseterre, including Fort and Church Streets, tooting their horns to gain attention.
Explaining the rationale behind the protest action, Hodge said: “Over the past five months or so, the Tourism Authority put in place what they called a Transportation Committee, comprising the Presidents of the Tours Association and the Taxi Coop, and they crafted some new arrangements for the general body of taxi drivers.”
The problem with that, the outspoken taxi operator told reporters, is that information on the decisions made at that meeting was not disseminated to the taxi membership.
“It is not the Tourism Authority fault,” he stressed.
The new arrangements were made at a meeting between tourism officials and the taxi membership at the Royal St. Kitts Hotel back in February.
Hodge noted that the challenge with the new plan is that it has put the Safari tour operators in an advanced position in the prescribed area (cue) where they are normally dispatched, and it has given them an advantage over others who ply the same trade.
Prior to the changes, the Safari tour operators were on a free-for-all at the port seeking customers, Hodge said, adding that there were never any challenges to them getting work.
“A sudden committee met and was told why they put them there (Safari operators) is because they were not being dispatched, and I said that is a lie. They were never in the cue to be dispatched….so I said somebody created a problem that does not exist.”
According to Hodge, when many tourists “funnel” their way through the corridor, they would first interact with many Safari tour operators who would indicate to them that the other taxi personnel are only doing beach stops and that they are the ones who conduct island-wide tours.
It was highlighted that such false information undercuts the work of others plying the same trade, many of whom also do tours.
It was also highlighted that Safari tour operators do not take tourists to the Brimstone Hill Fortress and Black Rocks; thus depriving management of the world renowned historical site and vendors at the Belle Vue site of a few dollars.
Hodge stated that a petition was sent to the Minister of Tourism, the Hon. Lindsay Grant, and a meeting was held with him, where he promised to cut the number of persons that the Safari Tours operators should accommodate.
“If their capacity was 30, they would take it back to 16. Sixteen persons at US$25 a-head is US$400 every time they move. Currently, they are 33 in numbers and we are over 300,” he added.
He explained that if all 300 taxis were part of the rotation system, it would take about three weeks for “you to get your turn”.
However, the Safari tour operators rotate every two days and it is affecting the work of the other taxi operators.
“So, we are protesting this. We offered a solution, in that as much as you claim that they were not being dispatched to, tourism is now in charge of the dispatching service and you can have a fair system. We are saying that for every 10 of us you stagger-in a safari,” Hodge said.
The taxi and tour operators are calling for an urgent resolution to the matter ahead of the rapidly approaching off season for the local cruise industry.
Today’s protest was organised on a day when no ship was in the port, so not to affect any individual’s livelihood.
