No service in September for school maxis

Unless Maxi-Taxi drivers who transport school children are paid all their outstanding salaries, they will not be transporting students when the new school term opens in September.

Head of the Maxi-Taxi Concessionaires Association, Rodney Ramlogan said the drivers have reached their breaking point and they believe Education Minister Anthony Garcia is penalising them for protesting several times in the past for their unpaid salaries.

To date, the drivers have only been paid for their services for January 2018. They protested in April and were paid two fortnights salary but have not been paid since.

Braving the rain to protest in front of the Public Service Transport Corporation (PTSC) garage along Lady Hailes Avenue, San Fernando a short while ago, Ramlogan said the drivers have been told that the Ministry of Education keeps sending back their invoices for corrections every time they are submitted.

The drivers are contracted by the PTSC and paid by the Ministry of Education.

“What this country wouldn’t want and what might be happening is that the parents and students who use this service might be coming out in September to go and protest in Port of Spain because no maxis are going to come out to work in September if all the arrears are not paid,” Ramlogan said.

He said the drivers are confused by the ongoing issues as they don’t know who to hold responsible.

“The episode of this has been continuing with no payment, we haven’t got any money for the past four and a half months, we want to know who is to blame the ministry or the PTSC.”