School maxi taxi drivers protest outside Ministry

“We have nobody here who stays home in their house and collects money,” Ramlogan said. “Everybody here works and if you want any confirmation, you could go to the principals of the schools that these maxis service and they would know.” “I don’t know if it’s (allegation) meant as a distraction from the real point, which is to finally pay us and to get back the system in order.” Ramlogan said that while the service to transport students to and from school was funded by the Education Ministry, it was the Public Transport Service Corporation (PTSC) which actually managed the programme and paid drivers.

Hence, he said all questions about alleged ghost drivers should be directed to PTSC General Manager, Ronald Forde.

“So what (Garcia) was saying about us, the disrespect toward us, he has continued to treat us like hustlers in this country and not businessmen.” Ramlogan was speaking with reporters yesterday during a protest by AMTSTC members outside the Education Ministry’s head office, St Vincent Street, Port-of-Spain.

The AMTSTC president was responding to a statement made on Monday by Education Minister, Anthony Garcia, during a press conference about, among other things, the association’s decision to withhold its services until it received full payment of $12 million owed for May, June and the first half of July 2017. Within the last month, the ministry has made two partial payments to the PTSC; $1 million and then more than $6 million.

While the delay in payments prompted the AMTSTC to temporarily stop transporting students, Garcia said an allegation of ghost gangs was brought to his attention on Sunday evening and assured that he would investigate the claim.

Newsday was unable to contact Forde for comment.