The (established taxi) services I think have more of an advantage in this thing than we. We have to hustle. It’s a bad thing. Then too it doesn’t help with the crime situation. You see most people don’t pay attention to number plates and if they were to say that a yellow taxi is involved how will the police find the car if it is to fit itself between other yellow cars?’
William Thompson, private taxi driver
`I don’t think all hire cars should be in one colour. The reason why is they are saying crime is on the increase and if somebody is to hijack a taxi and fit it among six or seven other yellow taxis how will the police find the criminals then?
I feel to myself that all taxi services should be in one colour because they are more of a unit. Cars that work by themselves should have a logo that identifies the area that they are working. For example, I work at the Stabroek Market area. Put the clock logo on my car to identify the area I work.’
Dexter Douglas, private taxi driver
`No it should not be one colour. The simple reason first of all is that I bought my car through the bank and it’ll be costly to spray over my car. It cost almost $100,000 to spray my car.
Second thing is that you lose money when your car has to be in the workshop. The workshop will say a few weeks and next thing you know it is there for nearly a month. I am losing.
Third, Barbados get more tourists than us and they do not have one colour they just get a sticker. And the money Jagdeo is waiving is nothing. It cannot compensate for a $100,000 spray paint job.
Most of all I personally think this taxi thing is heading for dictatorship because it is going to be real tough to spray over their cars. If they could come with a sticker or something…This country almost with Haiti economy wise and they want us to find $100,000 to spray over? It’s critical.’
Vishnu Dookie, private taxi driver
`You see I recently sprayed my car and it cost me $140,000 to spray it and to change to this new colour will cost me roughly the same thing. Then your car has to be laid up for nearly three weeks and then that will turn into five weeks and I will lose money because this is my source of income.
I say no to have the entire taxis one colour. Leave it as it is with any colour. You see I think we are being influenced by the Western culture. But I’m also against this because you have to understand some people have the colour they have because of religious purposes. My pandit gave me the grey for my car. All these things have to be taken into consideration.
I say leave it as it is as long as no road rules are broken.’
Ricardo Nagwer, private taxi driver
` I think that what people can afford they should let them do. The idea is that the government cannot compare with North America, Canada and England, we are way behind. What they are asking does not make sense. Where are people going to get the money to do this?
I don’t agree with this one colour thing. If I am working Stabroek Market then use a sign saying so or just use a logo. They could even use a sign that says taxi on top. What we really need is creative ideas to push this country forward.’
Roger Adams, R&T taxi driver
`It doesn’t make sense. If something is to happen and these cars do not have logos then you’ll have to go through thousands of yellow cars to find who you are looking for. It is also costly for private taxis. It is costly to spray over into yellow and it will only add another additional financial stress to people.
I think they should concern themselves with more important issues like ensuring that there is a driving school that drivers must attend before they are released on the road. They should ensure that drivers are disciplined and other traffic matters should be given more priority than the colour of the car.’
Quincy, Luxury Cabs taxi driver
`I think it has its advantages and disadvantages. An advantage is it will be easier for customers and tourists to identify a taxi. Having all of them in one colour makes identifying a taxi easier. However the disadvantage is that it is costly to spray over the cars. I think it is a move to get private taxi drivers off the road.
If they want to attract tourists then they have to come up with better initiatives. Making taxis one colour will not do much to attract tourists. Besides many of them come and spend little time in the city they head to the places in the interior. They spend like a few minutes in a taxi. I don’t see how they would mind the colour of the car.’
Davanand Persaud, Sheriff Taxi driver
“It is not a good idea. Many drivers on this road that work taxi have bought their car either through the bank or an auto-dealer and they have not finished paying for it. Then to ask them to change their colour is very costly.
Also, we do not reach the international capacity, as a taxi industry, to have one colour like the US. You have to realise also that it is more than paint that is needed to change the colour of the car. All of this cost money. The only person I see benefiting is the spray painter.’
Rudolph Marshall, Indian Chief Taxi driver
`I don’t agree to change to one colour. Guyana is a third world country and this would be very costly. People just don’t have the money. Even Caribbean tourist countries don’t have one colour. Having a sign saying taxi or the logos as we do now is enough for people and police to identify us a taxi.
Jobs are more important not the colours of taxis. We have to invest in foreign investments so that jobs can be opened up for people. Then there is the issue of finding criminals it will be hard to sift through thousands of yellow cars.’
Desmond Chichester, Indian Chief Taxi driver
`It is costly to spray over the car in yellow. Waiving the road licence is not enough to compensate for the cost of the spray paint job. Besides, one colour won’t stop hijacking. It will be harder with one colour to get criminals.
They should restructure the idea more before making a decision and they should also hear from drivers, get our views.’
