The Tribune

By MORGAN ADDERLEY

Tribune Staff Reporter

madderley@tribunemedia.net

Leasing of taxicab plates remains a rampant issue in the industry despite the Minnis administration's promise to regulate the area,

In May 2017, the government announced in its Speech from the Throne that it would "review and give consideration to the ownership of taxi licence plates by persons who have been leasing those plates for many years."

In November 2017, Press Secretary Anthony Newbold said the government is considering ending the controversial practice.

However, as of February 2018, the practice is still ongoing. Yesterday, Road Traffic Controller Ross Smith told The Tribune his wish is to "get rid of it" altogether.

He said: "I hate the practice, I wish we could get rid of it completely or we find (another) way to deal with it. I am sure this minister has his views on it and will deal with it very soon. But personally I hate the practice. I think it's unfair.

"It's so difficult to stamp out."

Philip Watkins, president of the Bahamas Taxicab Union (BTU), told The Tribune yesterday that while he has heard about the issue of leasing, BTU does not participate in it. However, he said the union manages a few plates.

Mr Watkins said: "I know the taxi union itself, we have a few members that have since retired and are no longer able to operate-- they can't see, they can't move, or whatever.

"Quite a few of them, about maybe ten or so of them, we operate their taxi plates for them.

"(Additionally), if we have a member whose vehicle is down, we normally pass the taxi franchise over to those members to operate until their vehicles get back in service."

Mr Watkins continued: "But this thing with the leasing, I hear about that all the time."

When asked about the clause in the Speech from the Throne referencing the practice, Mr Watkins said: "Since the new government came in, we had a meeting with the Minister (of Transport Frankie) Campbell, and I told him point blank if they need any assistance from the union as to how they could do whatever to move this industry forward, feel free to call on us."

Former transport and aviation minister, Glenys Hanna Martin, also spoke with The Tribune yesterday, providing much context to the issue.

Mrs Hanna Martin described the situation as "vexing" and one that leads to "oppressive and exploitative" arrangements.

Mrs Hanna Martin said: "The practice of leasing, originally it had a very sort of altruistic (purpose). What it did was, a lot of times (when) taxi drivers died, their widow inherited the plate under the (law).

"And so widows often times were elderly. So they would lease it out and enter arrangements where the taxi plate would be in the hands of a third party, but they would continue to get revenue from them. That still happens to a large extent."

However, over the years, there has been a shift.

Mrs Hanna Martin continued: "(Now) you have people who are employed who have taxi plates, whereas before, (for) a taxi driver, that was his career and his life.

"And you know, taxi plates are not like tours which are more of a corporate thing. Taxi plates tend to be driver-owned. But (now) you have people with more than one plate.

"As a result, you have people who have been leasing, and some of them leasing for very long periods of time. Some of them that I knew, when I served. Some of the stellar persons involved in the industry. I mean they are first class in terms of the standard set. And you know, many times I became shocked to learn these people had no plates.

"I couldn't believe it. And what happens is that the person who owns the plate, because leasing is not recognised, they're able to enter these arrangements that are not governed by the law, that tend not reach legal scrutiny, and it leads to oppressive and exploitative types of arrangements.

""For example, a person may have a plate (leased) for 10 years, and the owner could come and say 'I want my plate back next week.'

"And what happens is that the people who lease them also invest in vehicles too. And the owner of the plate could just (take it away) without any regard to that reality."

She said the Christie administration considered ways to address the situation.

"We looked at a number of things. I began to develop a database of people who are leasing and who they are leasing from. And I considered the options.

"It's a very complex situation. And it's one that's long standing, over generations. And a solution has to be found in terms of regularising the situation. And the serving minister has to be committed."