T&T taxi drivers association to PM: Mash brakes on fuel subsidy cuts
Trinidad and Tobago Taxi Drivers’ Network (TTTDN) president Adrian Acosta is asking Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley to mash the brakes on removing the fuel subsidy.
Since the Prime Minister’s statements last Tuesday about the government's inability to maintain the fuel subsidy, he said taxi drivers have been experiencing anxiety. If fuel prices increase, they will have to raise their fares.
Speaking at a media conference at the Macaulay Community Centre in Claxton Bay yesterday, Acosta said, “That move that the Prime Minister is going to make will be very detrimental to us. We want to say today that if that move is made, we as taxi drivers will have no choice but to make some adjustments to our fares. We will not at no point in time be taking that burden on our shoulders.”
He lamented that taxi drivers stand to lose a substantial amount of money daily if the subsidy is removed.
“We have lost a lot of money. We have done our part through this pandemic, and we have lost a lot of money, and we were told to be one of the frontline workers. We were the only set of frontline workers that were losing money daily.”
However, Acosta said they are prepared to fight against increased fuel prices.
“If the Government intends to go through with that, we will have to make a stand. When we are making that stand, we will be inviting the whole of Trinidad and Tobago, from the policeman to the fireman, to the doctors, to the lawyers, to the homemakers. We will be inviting every single individual in this country to come and join us because it will impact every single person.
“We understand that there is a crisis throughout the world, but I think there are many other things that the Government can do to bring in an income to help run the country,” he added.
Meanwhile, San Fernando to Curepe Taxi Drivers Association president David Mack said the nation as a whole recently breathed a sigh of relief when the COVID-19 restrictions were relaxed, only be faced now with the possibility of increased fuel prices.
“We suffered for two years. That is not a joke, you know. Is serious suffering taxi drivers have suffered, very serious. Men have lost their vehicles. There are instances of men who have lost their homes.”
Meanwhile, Acosta, who represents about 40 taxi associations throughout T&T, invited all taxi drivers to a meeting on Saturday to discuss the way forward concerning the fuel subsidy and other matters in the industry.
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