South taxi fares increase

Yesterday’s action by Princes Town-San Fernando maxi taxi operators came as a double blow for the travelling public as last week, the Route Two Maxi-Taxi Association increased the fares for the Arima/Chaguanas to Port-of-Spain Priority Bus Routes. Commenting on this development yesterday, Works and Transport Minister Colm Imbert said Government had no control over maxi-taxi fares and was doing what it could to improve the transportation system in Trinidad and Tobago. President of the Route Four Maxi-Taxi Association (whose maxi-taxis operate the Princes Town-San Fernando route) Arjoon Sinanan yesterday announced the fare increase and said this was due to the higher operating costs, with which maxi-taxi operators along this route are now burdened.

He said his association’s members were experiencing tremendous difficulties in maintaining their maxi taxis with the meagre profits that they get from the existing route fares.

Sinanan agreed with Route Two Maxi-Taxi Association President Victor George’s views about why maxi-taxi fare increases, implemented by their respective associations, were justified at this time. He said his association is entitled to a fare increase every two years, the last of which took place in 2001. Sinanan added that his association was concerned that the high cost of living was making it difficult for its members to survive on the existing route fares. “ The cost of living has gone up and maxi-taxi operators have to live too,” Sinanan said.

Responding to a question sent to him during yesterday’s sitting of the House of Representatives, Imbert explained that maxi-taxi fares are not regulated. “It’s a free market system and maxi-taxi operators are entitled to charge fares that they consider appropriate and which they feel the public will pay,” he said.

The minister added that the only recourse the public has in such a situation, is to withdraw support for maxi-taxis. Imbert said Government can and is intervening to improve the transportation system in TT by putting more buses on the roads and introducing a rapid rail system.