The Ministry of Tourism is taking giant strides to update and regulate the island’s taxi services.
The Minister, Dr. Ernest Hilaire, has announced that the Ministry will convert 600 old ‘H’ plates to new ‘TX’ plates as part of plans to improve the taxi industry.
Dr. Hilaire stated that the initiative is the second step in a comprehensive strategy to overhaul the sector.
He explained that the process started with the re-registration of all taxi drivers.
The next phase involved transitioning from the H plates to the new TX plates.
“Since TX plates had stopped issuing, about 14 years ago, really, we had persons accumulating H plates rather than TX plates. So the second stage was about converting all the H plates to TX plates,” Hilaire stated.
The Ministry will host an orientation session for the 600 newly converted taxi drivers on Friday, August 16.
The session will be held at the Finance Administrative Center and divided into three batches of 200 drivers each.
The minister explained that this critical orientation aims to provide drivers with essential training on their new TX plates, outlining driver responsibilities and the expected standards.
“It is a really critical session because it is an opportunity for the ministry to inform persons of their obligations as a holder of a TX plate, what is expected of them by the sector and by the ministry, basically the kind of standards we want met by the taxi sector,” Dr. Hilaire emphasised.
Drivers will receive certification at the end of the orientation.
The certification process will be part of a broader effort to ensure quality and consistency across the taxi service sector.
Dr. Hilaire said that the Ministry will provide ongoing support throughout the process.
“We will work with them, hold their hands, give the necessary guidance to ensure that all service providers are certified and meet the requisite standards,” he declared.
The minister disclosed that the next step will be to address the Taxi sector’s needs and try to effect improvement.
You need set a standard tariff of fares too, oh wait, how stupid of me, there is a standard – ‘rip off the tourist’ its been set for years
@outsider looking in There are standard fares; taxis are just expensive all around even for locals. Locals don’t pay less than $200 xcd minimum for a trip from Castries to VF unless they know someone and get a discount. So just imagine where most of the tourists are coming from (Gros Islet), it’s going to cost a lot more. Doing round the island trips are going to cost a hefty sum. It’s unfortunate but that’s what it is. What tourists need to do is stop walking with strictly US dollars, get a rental or do group activities that way the costs will be lowered.