Taxi drivers have been given one week to prepare for the planned relocation of the Chaguanas and Port-of-Spain taxi stands from High Street, San Fernando to Kings Wharf but they have vowed to oppose the move legally saying it is unsafe and impractical.
During a press conference held at Library Corner on Tuesday, president of the T&T Taxi Driver Network and Adrian Acosta said they will fight the move through the courts.
"We are calling on upright and upstanding lawyers to get in contact with me. We will not move and we will fight this to the end," he said.
He added, "The Mayor did not have any discussions with us. It is unfair to us. This is an injustice to passengers. The Wharf is dark and dismal. There are vagrants there and the place smells bad. There are no toilet facilities yet you want to take us from a place which is busy and lighted up to put us down there? It is unfair, unacceptable and we believe the Mayor is victimizing us."
Acosta also said relocation of the stands will take away business from High Street.
"The San Fernando, Chaguanas and Curepe taxi drivers bring about 15,000 passengers daily to High Street. When you put us down there the business people are going to suffer. Sometimes passengers drop on High Street they purchase items. This idea of putting us on the Wharf is a total waste of time and we are never going to support it," he added.
He denied that the Curpe, Chaguanas and Port of Spain taxi drivers were responsible for traffic congestion on High Street, saying if the Mayor wanted to clear congestion, he should ban PH cars from plying for hire illegally on High Street.
