THE TAXI DRIVERS ARE IN TOTAL DARKNESS!

The taxi operators are being made to pay a heavy price for not supporting the ruling party “en masse” at the last election. The foreign exchange promised by President Michel during his campaign for the presidency is coming in dribs-and-drabs, not at the promised rate of four new vehicles each month. Most taxi drivers have had to go into the parallel market for foreign exchange to pay for their new vehicles. Those with relatives abroad have had to borrow in foreign exchange in order to finance the replacement of their cars.

Yet, the agents of State is making out that all the new vehicles on our roads are the results of promises made and kept by President Michel last year during his election campaign. However, we all know that it is not. Each person involved in importing vehicles is making his own arrangement to finance, in hard currencies, the importation of his particular consignment of vehicles.

The situation will get worst before it gets better, because on contacting the people responsible to provide lights for the taxi stand in Victoria, we were informed that they lack the foreign exchange with which to import the equipment/materials that are necessary for the upkeep of all the streets lights in the country in good working order through-out the year.

The taxi drivers have expressed concerns over their present predicament at the taxi stand. They are having to work in total darkness. They fear that they would become an easy target for criminals to prey on. “We can easily be attacked because we cannot see who is approaching in the dark”, a driver commented. According to another driver the lights comes on at 6 pm, but would fade away leaving the ‘Stand’ in total darkness for the entire night.

We are hoping that something will be done soon to fix the lights at the Victoria Taxi Stand before anyone gets hurt. It is hazardous for everyone; drivers; the customers and pedestrians using the taxi car park as a cross-over to the DBS building.

February 16, 2007
Copyright 2007: Seychelles Weekly, Victoria, Mahe, Seychelles