TAXI DRIVERS BEING SQUEEZED OUT AND STATE HOUSE LOOKS AWAY!
Further proof emerged this week giving credence to the belief that well connected people high up in society and in government are determined on squeezing out the taxi operators. Especially from key areas of operations where the possibility exists to earn foreign exchange. This is being done to protect the interest of powerful people associated with big companies competing directly against taxi operators for foreign exchange paying customers. It involves places like five star hotels, the New Port and the Pointe Larue International Airport.
The taxi drivers who tried to go through the gates at the New Port, this week, to collect sailors from the US Navy warship alongside the quay met with a firmly shut gate manned by police officers refusing them entry. However, buses from Tour Operators were allowed free access onto the quayside without great difficulty. It is alleged that they were charging twenty five dollars a time to take sailors to Beau Vallon. The taxi drivers were made to park outside the gate at the New Port missing out on the bounty.
Furthermore, taxi operators are not allowed anywhere near a five star hotel in Seychelles, it is almost completely out of bounds as far as collecting customers from these hotels are concerned. In fact these establishments (hotels) are now deeply involved in the business of ferrying visitors around the islands. On the contrary, in Mauritius special kiosk are built to accommodate taxis at five star hotels. Five star hotels and taxi operators in Mauritius co-exist marvellously. In Seychelles taxi operators are treated like criminals in their own backyard by people running these establishments. President Michel continues to ignore this situation even if it is not in the best interest of our taxi drivers.
The last battle is now being fought out at the Pointe Larue International Airport where the big boys in the tourism transport industry are using their contacts and influence to squeeze out the taxi operators. The drivers are being forced to park their vehicles away from where they have been doing so since the airport opened in 1972 to wait for a fare. This is happening because other people (influential) involved in transporting arriving passengers to and from hotels are stealing the fares of taxi operators. They do not want taxi drivers to be present when passengers come out of arrivals, whilst passengers travelling independently of tour operators are solicited to board buses instead of catching a taxi to their hotels. Certain private individuals are also getting involved in this transaction to the detriment of taxi operators. This is happening in full view of the Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) and we hope without their complicity.
It is not the first time this issue has been brought to the attention of the government. The taxi association is known to have asked this government on several occasions to address these issues because it is causing hardship to its members. But its call has fallen on deaf ears. The Minister of Tourism and Transport, Vice-President Belmont is not fighting for the taxi operators, which is a great shame, because he is well liked in the rank and file of taxi operators.
