THE EDITOR, Sir:I WRITE in reference to the Minister of Transport and Works' proposals to increase the fines for illegal taxi operators. I certainly agree with the Minister that there needs to be discipline in our transportation system, and generally, on our roads. However, I think there are concomitant factors that the minister needs to consider as well.
Firstly, the quality of the service offered by the present transportation system is well below par and is certainly not in line with the needs of the society. Based on my observations, the persons who take the "$50 taxi" (or the illegal taxis) are working people and professionals who need to get to work on time to carry out their duties, so that the government can collect its relevant taxes.
Secondly, the current transportation system is definitely not for productive people. It is very unreliable and very inefficient. It is quite obvious that people have good reasons for choosing to pay $50 on the illegal taxis as opposed to $30 on the bus. I do not think that they simply prefer to pay a more expensive transportation cost to go about their business.
The inefficiencies in the public transportation are quite evident on the days when the policemen and traffic authority personnel are out on the road conducting their searches. On those days, I notice that the legal buses are tightly packed with passengers and there are many stranded commuters at bus stops.
The minister needs to consider these factors and others, which form the basis for the thriving of the illegal taxi industry and the counting of losses by the legal transporters, and then maybe there would be no need for the proposed legislation.
I am, etc.,
KEMMEHI LOZER
35 Garfield Ave.
Kingston 20
