fp Turks and Caicos

Relations between taxi drives and resorts appear to be on the mend after months of tensions that culminated in airport protests and taxi drivers crying foul against resorts.

Chief Executive Mark Capes and Permanent Secretary of Home Affairs and Public Safety Denise Saunders met Feb. 12 with stakeholder representatives from the resorts and the taxi drivers and the results appear to be sitting well with all sides.

Taking into account the interests of all stakeholders, Saunders and Capes brought several regulation amendment suggestions to the table, adopted by the Advisory Council in its Feb. 10 meeting.

Turks and Caicos Taxi Association President Toussaint Capron said the meeting was productive, and now amendments are being prepared for further consultation. Although more action will be required before an official end result, Capron said he is happy with the results so far.

“It seems like a positive outcome,” Capron said. He noted his satisfaction with Capes and the other government officials hearing the concerns of the taxi drivers, and he is hopeful about the outcome. “I can say my reaction is more on the happy side.”

After months of frustration and asking to be heard, taxi drivers began using their vehicles to block resort shuttles and hold protests at the airport. Capron says only after that action did their cries begin to be heard.

“Our main cry is hotels offering their own transportation,” Capron said. Taxi drivers were increasingly agitated as more and more resorts were using private vehicles and staff to shuttle guests to and from the airport and around town.

While Capron says most resorts have been complying, using official taxi drivers to transport hotel guests to and from their resorts, evening transfers to restaurants are still an issue. Further suggestions on the table to resolve this issue is the possibility of the creation of a taxi stand in the Grace Bay area. Capron said the taxi drivers would be pleased with this resolution.

“There will be more issues to come in the future,” Capron said, but he hopes the amendments they agreed on will solve the problems for now.

Taxi fares

All taxi services are to abide by the government stipulated fares. For every area across Providenciales, there is a published list with specific fares which are supposed to be charged. The published fares are based on $3.00 per mile for two passengers. Additional passengers are charged at 50 percent of this rate.

For example, a fare from the airport to Grace Bay is published at $25 for two passengers and from Grace Bay to da Conch Shack $30.

A list of published fares can be obtained from taxi drivers or resorts.