School drivers protest

ARMED with placards, frustrated drivers from the Maxi-Taxi Concessionaires Association blocked traffic on Lady Hailes Avenue in San Fernando yesterday morning, calling on the Education Ministry to pay outstanding monies. The drivers say they have not been paid for the past four months.

They are contracted by the Public Service Transport Corporation (PTSC) and paid by the Education Ministry. They assembled opposite the PTSC garage on Lady Hailes Avenue and quickly moved their protest to the road, blocking traffic in both lanes for about half an hour.

Association head Rodney Ramlogan said the 300 drivers are owed an estimated $10 million. The association protested last year over outstanding payments and Ramlogan said this seems to be the only language the ministry understands.

“The government has taken us for a ride for the past four months where no payment has been made. Apparently the only language this government understands is protest for your money if you need to get paid,” Ramlogan said. “For the past four months, guys have been struggling to meet demands with even servicing their maxis, it has passed the stage of diesel and tyres and banks, right now it’s about food: these guys have not been able to provide food on their tables at home.”

Ramlogan said although they have not been paid, the drivers are still working and he is hoping that they can get through next week, when thousands of primary schools students will sit the Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA.) Ramlogan is also calling on the PTSC to review the drivers’ contracts and give them a schedule of payment.

One affected driver, Harold Codrington, said he is struggling to provide for his daughter, who is studying abroad. “I am a single father. I have a maxi which I recently bought, about a year ago, and I have insurance due next month, which is $22,000,” Codrington said. “I have a daughter in university in Barbados doing law.”

Responding to the maxi taxi operators, Education Minister Anthony Garcia in a statement yesterday said a verification exercise conducted by the ministry revealed claims submitted from 2017 to the present, were over invoiced to the tune of $1.7 million. Garcia said measures have been put in place to verify all invoices from the maxi taxi operators.

Citing figures from December 2017 to April 20, Garcia stated while the maxi taxi operators put in a claim for $3,030,790, the figure was reduced to

$2,909,563. He reiterated that the service provide by the maxi taxi operators is valuable and the ministry will continue to work with them as a valuable stakeholder in the education sector.