00:00Transport and Civil Aviation Minister Eli Zakur last Friday met with the Route 2 Maxi-Taxi Association
00:06to address key issues affecting both operators and the commuting public.
00:12The association was represented by President Brenton Knights and Secretary Vernel Carter,
00:18who highlighted several operational challenges impacting their members and the overall efficiency of maxi-taxi services.
00:25A statement from the ministry released today said major points of discussion were urgently needed
00:31for improved management of CityGate's operations, infrastructure upgrades at CityGate and Sangre Grandi transit hubs.
00:39We spoke with Association President Knights, who found the meeting was very productive.
00:45My perspective, the meeting went very well.
00:47The minister seems to be very open-minded in terms of what is affecting us in the industry.
00:55And he also made some certain statements that, you know, make me in particular, you know, look at it in a different way.
01:05He made a remark that we are all from the same soil.
01:08And when you hear somebody say that, you know, to meet these volumes,
01:12and also Whiteley was there in the meeting, Whiteley was in the air condition and in the comfort of the office up there,
01:20he said that he was a person who does deal with his portfolio hands-on.
01:25And I made a suggestion for you to come and visit CityGate and right there and then he said,
01:29OK, let's do it.
01:31The meeting closed off and they went straight to CityGate for an impromptu site visit.
01:35There are a number of concerns, and at this stage, some of them are at a sensitive stage to not really want to bring out in the public domain
01:45because we still have some documentation to present in.
01:49But some of them is outstanding issues in terms of the management and CityGate and the PBL pass, the hubbing arrema.
01:58Some of it, like the hubbing arrema, doesn't fall under his portfolio.
02:01It falls under works and infrastructure.
02:04But all the other issues that we have for years, and he's aware of them.
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