The deadline for the government to address the issues concerning taxi and bus drivers was extended to August, according to Minister of Transport and Local Government Renward Wells.

Yesterday, Wells said a cabinet subcommittee is also scheduled to meet this month to address the concerns of public service drivers, which range from a lifting the moratorium on taxi plates to an increase in the bus fare.

“The prime minister in his wisdom has put together a cabinet subcommittee of about six cabinet ministers to deal with the entire transportation business,” he said.    

“Not just taxi cab drivers, but bus drivers, delivery drivers, but to deal with Road Traffic, so we can have one cohesive policy that is both accepted by the government of The Bahamas and more so bought into by the Bahamian people and bought into by those persons who are involved in the transportation business.” 

Public service drivers had imposed on the government a July 1 deadline to have their issues resolved.

Bahamas Taxi Cab Union President Wesley Ferguson said given all the government has on its plate right now, coupled with the minister’s only just returning to the country, he has no issues with the new deadline.

“Granted that Minister Wells is basically a new minister of transport, we are working hand and hand to try to make them understand that it’s not a quick fix and at the same token we have given him an opportunity to address some of the issues that he promised he would have addressed by now,” Ferguson said.

“However, without being barbaric and without being for lack of a better word antsy about going ahead, we’ve just given them a little leeway to make good on his promises.” 

Ferguson has however made it clear that if nothing’s resolved by the August deadline, the union will have little choice but to up the ante.