00:00On Tuesday morning, CityGate Port of Spain was relatively empty compared to the usual long lines of maxi-taxis lining
00:07up to drop-off commuters.
00:09Along the priority, bus route commuters were seen in their numbers waiting on transportation.
00:14The few red-band maxis that came out were in high demand, so much so that some non-maxi-taxi
00:21drivers took it upon themselves to get passengers to and from their destination.
00:25But with the PBR open to all light motor vehicles and motorists seizing the opportunity to utilize the route, traffic
00:33came to a standstill heading west during the morning rush hours.
00:37By afternoon, the hub was picking up, but still very slow in relation to the generally busy atmosphere caused by
00:43the end of school and those on the regular 8-4 jobs.
00:48We're here at CityGate in Port of Spain, specifically on the Port of Spain to Arima maxi-taxi stand.
00:54As you can see behind me, there are a few maxis, but not a lot compared to what you would
00:59normally see.
01:00At this point, there are also not a lot of commuters, as many of them would have gone to the
01:06PTSC bus section of CityGate.
01:08General Secretary of the Route 2 Maxi Taxi Association, Vernal Carter, expounds on the action taken by members on day
01:15two of what was supposed to be a three-day strike.
01:18After we had the meeting with Minister Zakou, the AMTTT collectively decided that they would call out the strike at
01:26that level.
01:27But when we brought the information to our membership, the Route 2, they were still of the opinion that they
01:32asked for the strike, they understood the purpose.
01:35So they asked that we go another day, they had no problem with it.
01:38So we, the executive, took the initiative from the membership and we went ahead with the strike.
01:43So we had that strike today still.
01:45However, after sitting and deliberating again as our executive, we had our internal meeting.
01:50And we just sent out a memo about five minutes ago to the membership and to the public, as we
01:54did before, advising them that we will now call off the strike as of 6 p.m.
02:00Asked about a meeting held with Transport Minister Eli Zakou on Monday afternoon, Carter reveals that the association wasn't at
02:07all pleased, calling it political warfare, where the former administration was a recurring theme.
02:13But for some reason, he kept always reminding us that, you know, 10 years, 10 years, 10 years.
02:18So it was like a political bullying for some reason, but we reminded him right through our constitution speaks on
02:23non-political, non-religious.
02:26One of the first problems they want resolved is the lack of a proper system for the transfer of rights.
02:32There's the next of kin, the amnesty, health issues, and then there's an open transfer.
02:37So all of those fall under the transfer.
02:39But there are clear guidelines that we want that if A walks in today and asks our transfer regarding whatever,
02:44B must walk in and get the same, you know, acknowledgement.
02:47And the second, he says, is hub maintenance.
02:49This includes a proper hub for maxi-taxis in Arima and the rehabilitation of the hub in Sanguigrande.
02:56But on another note, the comment from the top cop on Monday that passengers on the TTPS bus would not
03:02get robbed or their necks locked has left a route to drivers perturbed.
03:07You being aware of that and making a statement like that, why aren't you doing something more to assist the
03:12transit police to assist if it's the traffic wardens or whatever?
03:14Carter is apologizing to the traveling public on behalf of the association for the inconvenience they faced.
03:21Alicia Boucher, TV6 News.
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