Moruga taxi drivers threaten to double fare

MORUGA taxi drivers have threatened to double the taxi fares if the main road is not repaired. The threat came during an early morning protest along the main road in St Mary’s Village on Wednesday. Taxi drivers armed with placards called on Works Minister Franklyn Khan to address their plight as a matter of urgency or they would be forced to double the fares. The association said it had staged three protests over the past two months and had received no response from the Ministry. Vice president of the Moruga Road Taxi Drivers’ Association, Andy Steeling, complained that it has been more than a year since a contractor, hired by the Ministry of Works, has been constructing drains on either side of the road.

He said the contractor was responsible for the drains, landslips and maintenance, but according to Steeling, the contractor was not maintaining the road. “The road is very dilapidated. There are many pot holes,” he added. “I have at least seven patches on each of my four tyres because of nails on the road puncturing my tyres.” The vice president added that some drivers spend at least $4,000 per month repairing their vehicles and most of them end up in debt. He said there were almost 80 taxi drivers plying the Princes Town to St Mary’s/Indian Walk/ Moruga route, and they wanted the road fixed as soon as possible.