Hindustan protests increased taxi fares

RESIDENTS of Hindustan in South Trinidad, yesterday blocked major roads in their area with debris and lit fires in protest against a hike in taxi fares implemented by drivers plying the Princes Town-Hindustan route, in the wake of increased fuel prices announced in the 2003-2004 National Budget.

Armed with placards, the angry villagers started their protest from as early as 5 am, blocking the road with debris, some of which was set on fire. However, by 11 am the protest ended, after heavily armed police from the Princes Town Police Station, led by Insp Terry Khan, arrived and spoke to the protesting villagers. At the heart of the protest, were reports that drivers along the Princes Town-Hindustan taxi-route were charging exorbitant fares of $6 for a ‘short-drop’ and charging extra for passengers with groceries in excess of 20lbs. Vice president of the Hindustan Women’s Institute Dianne Payne told Newsday, “we plan to keep up the protest until the relevant authorities hear our plea and offer to help in having the taxi fares back to normal.”

Payne said before the price increase, taxi drivers charged $3. But since the increase in fuel, announced by Prime Minister and Finance Minister Patrick Manning, in the National Budget, taxi fares have increased from the regular $3 to $4, $5 and even $6, depending on the size and amount of personal items, passengers placed in the car’s trunk. Payne also said that taxi drivers who still charged the original three dollar fare, were being pressured by other drivers to raise the fare. Payne pleaded on behalf of the distressed villagers saying “it is ridiculous, people who have four and five children have to pay more money to get their kids to the New Grant School, which is only three-quarters of a mile from Nageer Junction. This is just unfair,” she said. Payne said her only hope was the Hindustan Taxi Association’s drivers understood the villagers’ plight and intervene in the matter, “before things get out of hand.”