Some taxi operators are adamant that they cannot wait three months to implement Government-approved rate increases as proposed by the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA).Doing so at this stage, they say, would mean that they lose out on the much-needed financial boost that comes with the peak tourism period.The taximen, who have welcomed the hike in rates, fear that the hoteliers may be attempting to “dictate” the affairs of the transport industry.“We deserved this rate increase. This has been 15 years and so many things have gone up. Gas gone up, road tax, the price of parts and the roads have gotten worse. Why are so many people stressing so much about this increase? Taxi men ain’t deserve nothing?” asked Andrew McCaskie, who has been in the taxi business for 32 years. Last Friday Deputy Prime and Minister of Transport, Works and Water Resources Santia Bradshaw announced during a press conference, the first rate increase in 15 years to take effect the next day.But one day after the effective date, BHTA chairman Renee Coppin called for a three-month delay before the fees were applied, to give the industry more time to make adjustments as the development could result in significant losses for businesses offering pre-sold packages to Barbados. Tour operators and travel agents had contracts in place for transportation, which were included in holiday packages sold to tourists, Coppin explained.
