Over 7,000 taxi drivers of the island are reportedly up at arms against a notice of the National Land Transport Authority (NLTA) urging them to contribute to the Taxi Operators Welfare Fund – else their licenses will not be renewed, will be suspended or revoked.
“The attention of taxi operators is also being drawn that an amendment was brought to section 76(3) of the Road Traffic Act in order to provide that in case the holder of a taxi license fails, pursuant to section 12 of the Taxi Operators Welfare Fund Act 2021, to provide the one-off entrance fee or the annual contribution to the Taxi Operators Welfare Fund, as the case may be, the NLTA:
“(i) shall not grant or renew the public service vehicle licence; or (ii) where the public service vehicle license has already been granted or renewed, same may be suspended or revoked by the NLTA,” Le Mauricien newspaper cited the notice as reading.
The National Land Transport Authority operates under the aegis of the Ministry of Land Transport.
TheTaxi Operators Union said it will not give in to the threat of the NLTA and pay “until someone tells us what benefit we’ll be entitled to.”
Union spokesperson Raffick Bahadoor was also cited as questioning the powers of the NLTA to revoke, suspend or not renew 7,000 taxi licenses.
“If the NLTA believes they can act on their threat, we wish them well. If the NLTA is looking for confrontation, they will get it.
“We know what we will do and I prefer not to say it now. It will be a surprise,” Bahadoor was quoted as warning.
