Former Taxi driver finds life hard

Paul Oreddy, former taxi driver.PAUL OREDDY is finding it hard to make ends meet – that, with doing a job which more or less has been forced upon him by circumstances, and not earning as much money as he wants.

A former driver and owner of a taxi, Paul’s troubles started in September last year when he was charged by the police for being idle and disorderly and for resisting arrest.

He alleges that the Minister for Transport, Mr. Philibert Loizeau, found it fit to revoke his taxi license because of his troubles with the police.

The case has since been dismissed and Paul claims that his license should be returned.

Soon after his license had been revoked, Paul contacted the Commissioner of Police, Mr. James Pillay who agreed to return it to him.

But Paul claims that Mr. Pillay was forced to reverse his decision after being ordered by Minister Loizeau.

Paul cannot understand Minister Loizeau’s decision, said he:  “Mr. Loizeau told me that should I receive an offer for my car I might as well sell it.  This means that he has no intention of returning my license although he told me that it has been revoked indefinitely.”

As a result Paul said that he was forced to sell his car only two months after receiving a bank loan.

He said that he did not take the matter any further because the Minister’s decision was final and “there was no other channel to go through.”

Meanwhile Paul is patiently waiting that the Minister “will see reason and return his license”.

“I still cannot understand why the Minister should have resorted to such drastic action, especially now that I have been cleared by the court” he concluded.

Minister Loizeau told ‘Life’ that the license was revoked by the licensing authority and not by him.  He said that he upheld the decision of the licensing authority following an appeal to him by Mr. Oreddy and then only after careful consideration.

Editor’s comment: The above is an article which appeared in the Weekend Life of 5th May 1979, twenty-eight years ago. A good one to reminisce over. Mr. Orredy’s fortune is now complete opposite to what it was in 1979, he is a successful businessman; he wears the right (color) shirt.

November 2, 2007
Copyright 2007: Seychelles Weekly, Victoria, Mahe, Seychelles