PH drivers have moved one step closer to getting the green light to ply their trade legally in T&T. Cabinet yesterday agreed to amend the Road Traffic and Motor Vehicles Act to facilitate PH taxis. The announcement was made by acting Works and Transport Minister Emmanuel George at yesterday's post Cabinet news conference at the Diplomatic Centre in St Ann's. It was the first post Cabinet news conference in Trinidad for the past several weeks.
George said Cabinet also agreed to amend the legislation to regulate private school bus operators and to increase the age limit from 65 to 70 years for nationals to apply for the annual drivers permit. He said Cabinet also agreed to issue special number plates for school buses and vehicles used by members of the diplomatic corps. He said diplomats have been asking for that change "for a number of years" and he was happy that the People's Partnership Government heeded their calls. George said regulations are to be prepared for the PH taxis to be allowed to operate legally in T&T. He said that will be done when the law is amended.
George admitted that the PH vehicles (taxis) "are out there providing a service and this effort is simply to regulate that service and to protect the people who use them to travel." He said the changes are also intended to ensure the PH drivers "operate according to certain rules." The move to legalise the operations of PH drivers has met with strong objection from maxi taxi operators but president of the Auxiliary Transport Association, Gerard Whyms welcomed the development. He said it was "the best Christmas gift the PH drivers and citizens could get."
Whyms said Works and Transport Minister Jack Warner, who took the note for approval to Cabinet, was a man with a vision and "someone who kept his word no matter what the situation." Whyms said the People's Partnership was a caring government for the poor man in T&T. Warner took the matter to the Finance and General Purposes Committee on Monday, where it was first approved then taken to Cabinet by George yesterday where it was also given the green light.