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Colour code for taxis seems thoughtless

Jul 01, 2010 Letters

Dear Editor,
There are several things that Government has done wrong in administering the new taxi colour code.
President Bharrat Jagdeo did outline Government’s intention since last November to have all motor vehicles in the hire car trade painted in the same colour by August 2010.
It took his administration seven months to draft and publish an advisory on who this rule applies to – seven months, now one month left.
Guyana does not have any regulations governing taxi services; this is what the Government needed to first put in place and not an overnight ‘brain wave’ decision. This advisory is a gross eye pass to the nation. Why now?
What happened to all those vehicle owners who already sprayed their vehicles and are not in a taxi service?
Is the Government compensating them too or waiving any fees for them? When? How? It cost some of these drivers $80,000 plus to spray their vehicles.
It cost them a few days of work; many of them have to pay their car installments still; will the Government help them? No.
The President did extend the time to September and it has been reported that a number of proposals have been discussed including installation of meters to determine mileage, flex glass, and no passengers in front seats. It is okay for flex glass and mileage meters – passengers should pay per mileage. There is where the Government will come in, to regulate the fee per mileage.
We will, however, be stupid as a nation to let this administration implement a rule of no passengers in front seats. Why? If one has a family of four that means they will have to use two taxis.
Where is the money coming from? We are too poor as a nation to get into this. We should hang our hats were we can reach it.
What is more grossly disrespectful from the Government through the Ministry of Tourism is to advise all visitors and tourists to use services of the Yellow Cabs/Taxis for their safety, security and comfort during their stay in Guyana.
This is one of the lamest advisories that can ever come from this Government.
How can the Tourism Ministry advise the public on this? They should be aware that most visitors to Guyana travel with their family and friends who may have a hire car. They should also be aware that it is not the colour of a car that people should judge by and travel.
They should also walk the streets in Georgetown, especially in Stabroek , and note that there are cars in other colours that are far more safe to travel with than those in yellow in terms of tyres, brakes, as well as courteous and safe drivers.
What the Government needs to do is the following: (a) implement a law governing taxi services (b) have drivers tutored on important driving skills and always have a refresher course done by relevant authorities with periodic written, practical and medical tests like other countries (c) work with taxi owners to have the basic in their vehicles e.g. garbage receptacles for passengers (d) implement a dress code for all hire car operators  (e) fix parking spots and patch potholes in the car parks and (f) get rid of tinted vehicles – in Guyana we have too many bosses, even the President isn’t transported in a tinted vehicle.
Why for instance do police have to get that?  (g) make all road offences ticketable  (h) rotate traffic cops as often as possible and set-up ways to make bribery-taking by ranks more difficult (i) setup a good ticketing system with targets and rewards for traffic cops.
If the Government was sensible enough it would have dumped the colour code rule and implemented the lighted taxi signs on cars instead, at least all hire cars would have readily complied and police and the general public would still be able to recognise the difference.
Devi Persaud

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