Updated: Taxi drivers: No agreement on liberalisation
(Adds governemnt reaction)
The White Taxis Association has denied claims that some form of agreement had been reached for the liberalisation of the sector. The association said such claims by Transport Minister Austin Gatt were incorrect and aimed only at giving the impression that the minister had won some point in consequence of the transport strike.
The association said that in its only meeting with the minister it was told that liberalisation was the government's aim, but it never said it agreed with it.
What was agreed, on insistence by the association, was that people licensed as taxi drivers had to be fit for the job and that measures would be introduced to improve the service and encourage more use of taxis, possibly even by the Maltese.
Once these measures were implemented more meetings would be held to discuss whether the sector had reached a level which should lead for the granting of more licences, in consultation with the association.
In a reaction, the Transport Ministry said the White Taxis Association accepted liberalisation in writing through the Transport Federation when the public transport strike was brought to an end.
At the time it was agreed that the government, before issuing new licences for this sector would consult the association. At his meeting with the association, the minister, Dr Austin Gatt, reiterated that the government intends to issue new licences in the context of total liberalisation of the sector. He confirmed this would happen after consultation with the association.
The ministry noted that the association never met the government before taking part in the recent strike.
When the liberalisation talks started , the association informed the government that it would convene its members to discuss liberalisation. When that meeting was held, it was agreed that further talks would be held with the government.
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DVella
Jul 30th 2008, 11:56
So you DON'T want liberalisation . . . that's OK ! ! ! We'll just go and liberalise the market WITHOUT YOU . . . . and you can even go on strike if you wish . . . SEE WHO'S GOING TO CARE ! ! !
Kenneth Bonnici
Jul 29th 2008, 23:22
Today, Tuesday 29th at 21.30, Regional Road Tunnel, direction to Paceville.... 2 white taxis suddenly brake in the tunnel, cars behind them just managing to brake and not crash into them.... then 1,2,3 and go.... off they go, accelerating, probably passing the camera tunnels together and according to rumours, not getting fined as they will pass the cameras at the same time.... couldn't believe it's happening.... not a case of onlyinmalta , but a case of onlywhitetaxidriver.com................... hopefully someone can check the cameras and fine both culprits.
Denis Catania
Jul 29th 2008, 17:33
This is what happens when you deal with thugs, once violence started, all talks should have stopped. It's not too late to check the videos and make the proper arrests. When convicted and given a hefty fine. than you take their licenses. you don't need anyone to testify with a video. The police Commish apoints an officer to testify that those events happened on that day,and that the video is true, and you will convict. But this won't happen, so Malta brace for another strike.
angelo camilleri
Jul 29th 2008, 16:33
hope the goverment will be ready to tackle these guys next time they decide to go on the rampage.
Martin Büttner
Jul 29th 2008, 16:29
I've lost track. Who is saying the truth? Or rather, whose spoken words contain more true facts? If no agreement was reached, why was the strike ended? And how does this agreement (which doesn't exist, or does it, or doesn't it....???) really look? What about agreement between the different associations and the federation? Did the Transport Federation speak for all associations or not? As a person whose taxes also keep the drivers alive wealthy, I feel very disappointed about these developments. Malta needs a modernisation in the public transport sector, and liberalisation is the first right step.
Ronald Caruana
Jul 29th 2008, 15:44
"What was agreed, on insistence by the association, was that people licensed as taxi drivers had to be fit for the job"
Therefore the government has the assosciation's go ahead to withdraw the licence of a number of taxi drivers who are patently unfit for the job.
Jeffrey Tabone
Jul 29th 2008, 15:43
erm, how do i say this subtly to the taxi drivers.....LOWER THE FLIPPING RATES!!!!!!!
Joe Tabone-Adami
Jul 29th 2008, 15:41
The Joke Of The Century: "on the insistence of the association... people licensed as taxi drivers had to be fit for the job". How many of the Taxi Thugs are fit to serve customers as they should? Ask the Maltese public who were the victims of thuggery, bullying, and criminal violence during the four-day transport strike two weeks ago. Does "fitness for the job" imply versatility in bad, abusive behaviour as well as foul and blasphemous language regularly heard wherever taxi drivers conglomerate, such as the Airport, the Valletta Waterfront, and in the environs of most hotels? Civility, courtesy and fair dealing appear to be totally alien and unacceptable to some of the W.T.A. members.