Dear Editor,

I was more than taken aback on reaching the Mandeville square this morning (yesterday) about 10 o’clock in the morning. The scene was that of pandemonium as a flurry of people converged in the square and the taxi stand all abuzz like bees. This was brought on by an impromptu strike by the taxi drivers using the Park Crescent taxi stand. They consisted of Broad Leaf, Tree Chains, Blue Mountain, Royal Flat, Comfort, New Green, Ingleside, Kendall, Grey Grounds, and Bellfields taxi drivers, among others.

Their bone of their contention was the discomfort they are now faced with when exiting the taxi park. They reported that the use of the car park has been restructured by the parish council with a new format, whereby they have to exit from the corner as opposed to the preferred middle section. This, they say, is most inconvenient.

The changes brought on now stipulate that they enter from the left side of the park and exit on the left. That arrangement, they argue, will then force them to park in the middle of the grounds and thereby impeding the outgoing taxis.

To top it off, they also complained that they weren’t consulted by the authorities. They point also to the fact that among the important improvements that have been ignored in the area is in need of a shed for patrons using the taxi service there.

One irate taxi operator said that he was shocked to come at the park only to find out that the previous entrance had been blocked and the shelter removed.

The perplexed situation persisted up to an hour after the strike was called without the presence of any one in authority who could address the grouses of the taxi operators. The police however, were out in force and kept a watchful presence on a situation that seemed on the verge of getting hostile. In the meantime, passengers gathered at the park wondering when normalcy would return.

I wonder why the authorities and the taxi operators are always at odds. Why can’t they work together for the good of the people? I imagine that a taxi stand could be constructed and run with the interest of the patrons and the taxi operators. It shouldn’t be any less.

Ras Roger Deacon

rastadeacon@yahoo.com

MandevilleTaxi2.pdf

The scene in Mandeville square yesterday.