Maxi-taxi drivers want PTSC Tobago to handle payments

Maxi taxi drivers who transport schoolchildren are still awaiting outstanding payments for one week in July.

President of the Tobago National Maxi Taxi Owners and Drivers, Cloyd Williams, noting that the majority of money owed - $1 million for June and July – was paid two weeks ago, said the Association was told by Public Transportation Service Corporation (PTSC) last week that all outstanding payments would be made before the end of this week.

He said the 48 members who are not making a fuss over the one-week pay but the Association was eager to resolve the matter of late payments now and in the future and was seeking a meeting with Chief Secretary Kelvin Charles, who is also Secretary for the Division of Education and PTSC officials

“We have had several meetings in attempting to resolve this issue. I am very much optimistic and I am hoping we can come to a solution, with another attempt to meet and discuss this late payment issue,” he said.

Williams said that the Association has been told that the delay in payments was because the drivers’ vouchers sent o to the Education Division was forwarded to PTSC in Tobago for approval and then sent to PTSC in Trinidad for further approval and checks.

The vouchers apparently take weeks to return to Tobago, he said. Williams suggests that PTSC Tobago be given the responsibility to deal with the affairs of the island’s taxi drivers who transport schoolchildren to allow for a speedy resolution to late payments.

Maxi taxi drivers in Trinidad who transport schoolchildren have been protesting delays in payments going back to April.

Education Minister Anthony Garcia , at a sitting of the House of Representatives on Monday, responding to a question from MP for Mayaro Rushton Parray about the withholding of the service by the Association of Maxi Taxi School Transport Concessionaires of TT because of outstanding payments, said the problem was caused by some glitches and errors made on several invoices. He said PTSC has had to resubmit the invoices to the ministry with the necessary adjustments.

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