Maxi drivers seek tax talks with Imbert

A WAIT-and-see game is being played between Government, the Route Two Maxi Taxi Association and certain car dealers in the country over the removal of Motor Vehicle and Value Added Taxes on the purchase of large maxi taxis. Costa George, president of the Maxi Taxi Association, has written Minister of Works and Transport Colm Imbert on the matter. According to George, former minister Franklin Khan had made a public statement on the matter three months ago in which he gave the assurance that the matter was getting active consideration. Based on that assurance, George said, interested parties had made down payments on new vehicles, confident that there would be a change in the legal requirements.

The vehicles have arrived in the country but the owners and dealers are not sure how to proceed. According to George, the dealers are reluctant to hold the vehicles although the would-be owners had made down payments. He said without Government authorisation, they do not know if the vehicles would be exempted from the relevant taxes. In addition to seeking the current minister’s intervention, the Maxi Taxi Association is also seeking a refund on vehicles purchased less than three months ago.

The group wants a meeting with Minister Imbert to discuss a number of other issues, including; the upgrade of the Port-of-Spain Transit Centre, a hub for maxi taxis in Arima, a proper lighting system along the Priority Bus Route and the appointment of an Advisory Committee in accordance with Section 4 of the Maxi Taxi Act. The maxi taxi operators are also concerned about the delay in repairing the electronic gates through which their vehicles exit the City Gate compound. Currently, gates are being operated manually. Under the system, maxi taxi drivers have to swipe a laminated card through an electronic device to allow the exit of the vehicle. This is done in order to ensure that the one dollar exit fee is collected. George said if the situation is not regularised, his association stands to lose revenue.