By Robert Andre Emmanuel
Gathering in the parking lot near the old terminal at the VC Bird International Airport, members of the United Taxi Company (UTC) were once again at the centre of an internal rift that has no end in sight.
A decay of trust between some of the members and the UTC executive has led to a situation where two men—Henley Daniel and Ian Joseph—are now both calling themselves the legitimately elected president.
Last week, an election was held with 49 of the 91 members of the UTC in attendance who voted in a new executive comprising both experienced and new members.
Last year, more than half of the body’s members signed a petition to remove the then executive, who they blame for causing division among them and creating a hostile environment.
But Daniel, president of the former executive, said he was not going to accept last week’s election results and sought to justify why.
“I want to say that we have come a long way to where we are today…we did not do everything perfect but one thing I can assure you is that I have had the best interest for UTC at heart.
“I try my upmost best to work to bring UTC to a better company and we still have much more to do and so I want to thank you for your patience with me…whether you are against me or not,” he said.
Daniel, in his speech, said although his executive should have been more open and discussed internal organisational issues more often with members, his team had nothing to hide from its members and would do better moving forward.
However, his speech, which felt like a presidential speech after a contested election, did not ease concerns that the issue at play was not being addressed—nearly 50 percent of his members did not want him in the seat.
Responding to Observer media’s question on this point, Daniel and members of his executive said that they were “unaware” why some of the disgruntled members were willing to vote against him.
“I do not know their thoughts. I do not know why, because for me as an executive, we function as we know a company should be functioning, so they will have to come and explain that,” Daniel said.
In January, Ian Joseph and many of his UTC supporters threatened to remove the executive through a petition.
However, following intervention by the Tourism and Transportation Minister Charles Fernandez, those members instead issued an ultimatum letter to the executive demanding a meeting be held within two days.
Following that meeting with UTC leaders, elections were scheduled for January 24 but were later delayed until April 3.
Saiid Greene, who attended yesterday’s meeting on the behest of Daniel, told the attendees that any disagreement among members of the organisation should be dealt with like any disagreement within the “confines of the family”.
Daniel, along with Greene and a lawyer for the organisation, reiterated numerous times during the meeting that the organisation should operate like any other company, rather than an association.
It was reported that a year ago, the United Taxi Company was changed from being known as the United Taxi Association. The body represents taxi drivers who service the airport.
It is unclear how much of the current rift between members hinges on this issue of a company versus an association as efforts to clarify information on how the UTC board is structured under its current rules were unsuccessful.
However, it is clear that the situation will not end any time soon, according to members of the UTC who spoke to Observer media after the meeting which ended in a heated fashion.
As one member put it, “When VC Bird held an election and lost, he accepted it, and when Lester Bird and Baldwin Spencer had their elections and lost, they also accepted it; there is little chance that President Daniel will regain the support of 49 people.”
Meanwhile, Joseph told Observer that the members are the ones who will ultimately decide who will lead them.
