Taxi drivers to hold protest carcade

Drivers of white taxis will stage a carcade on Tuesday morning to protest against the proposed shuttle service between Pinto Wharf and Valletta.

The action, organised by the drivers' association, White Taxi Licensed Amalgamated, will follow a petition which they presented to MPs last week highlighting their fear that the service would threaten their livelihood.

The petition, signed by 165 drivers, was drawn up by Elija Grixti, the former secretary of the association. The drivers had felt the need to go it alone, without the association's support, because they felt let down that it had not stood up to protest against the planned introduction of a shuttle service.

However, Mr Grixti said he had been invited to meet the association this week and in the "cordial" meeting it was decided to hold a carcade to keep up the pressure.

The carcade will leave Ta' Qali at 10 a.m. for the Labour Party headquarters in Hamrun, to present another petition to Labour leader Alfred Sant, and then drive to Castille to give a copy to Prime Minister Eddie Fenech Adami.

The petition will also be presented to Tourism Minister Francis Zammit Dimech.

The shuttle service is being proposed by the Malta Transport Authority and Viset Malta to give cruise liner tourists a choice of transport to Valletta.