By Tahna Weston
As a group of Barbudans seek to form a taxi association, they are being assisted by an Antiguan taxi operator Ian Joseph.
During the opening of the international airport on Barbuda in early October, Joseph suggested that an association for taxi operators should be formed on the sister island, taking into account that Barbuda is expected to become a busy hub for tourists.
Joseph told Observer that he has been in talks with a group in Barbuda that has actually registered an organization already, which he deems to be good.
However, the group is facing a number of challenges, including not having the presence of the Antigua & Barbuda Transport Board (ABTB) on the sister island.
“Because the Transport Board doesn’t have a presence in Barbuda, to get them up to speed, it will take a little time, but we’re trying to see how we can organise with the Transport Board if they could go over and get these guys up to speed. But the good thing is they have an organization that is registered and ready to go,” Joseph said.
He has recommended that a meeting be held to select a leader from within the group, and that he is willing to assist them in setting up an arrangement with the Antigua and Barbuda Airport Authority (ABAA) in order to allow them to operate at the new airport on Barbuda.
He said that during initial conversations, about 10 persons participated, of which some still needed to get a number plate, which, he adds, is the biggest hurdle, because they would have to travel to Antigua to get it done.
Joseph said that representation could be made with the Transport Board on their behalf once they are organized to ease that pressure on them. He suggested that an official from the agency could go over to Barbuda and conduct the required procedures in and to get the grouping up to speed with what is required including for them to have the proper licence plate.
“I think the hardest part is over because they’re registered and they’re in good standing, I’m not at liberty to release the name, that would have been the hardest part. Getting them organized with the airport, we could help them with that, and that would, I don’t think that would be such a hard process.
“Barbuda now is seeing a lot of visitors, and there are people operating transportation services, let me put it that way. This is an opportunity to get them certified or properly registered as taxi operators. It’s a good opportunity to get them within the laws of operating a taxi legally,” Joseph added.
Now that the winter tourist season has commenced, Joseph is hoping that the group would be able to get everything in place in a timely manner to be able to benefit from visitor arrivals to the small island.
“I think one of the things that they will have to prepare themselves for over there, I think they’re going to see more, well, they’re going to see private jets flying in, and I wish that they would just organize themselves as soon as possible, so they can own that space, to speak with the people who will be accommodating these people off of the private jets, so that they can organize themselves to do the ground transportation,” he said.
According to Joseph, having a taxi association, which he describes as an organized unit of members, is vital as the body would negotiate on behalf of the members; would go out and make arrangements with tour operators and hotels on Barbuda, that would bring benefit to each member of the association.
“… And this is where we would want to help them, to get them organized in that fashion. We have no intention of being a part of that association or managing it, it will be totally up to them; but they just need to get their members together and decide among themselves who would be their leaders,” Joseph concluded.
