Maxi drivers send legal letter to PTSC, THA

The Tobago Maxi Taxis Association has issued a legal warning to the Public Transport Service Corporation (PTSC) and THA Chief Secretary Ancil Dennis.

In the pre-action protocol letter, 31 Tobago maxi taxi concessionaires are accusing the two entities of distributing “unreasonable and unfair” contracts amongst the concessionaires in their individual capacities.

In a video recording on Tuesday, attorney Janelle Ramsaroop, on behalf of the drivers, said they have been operating as one fraternity for over 30 years and were shocked when the PTSC decided suddenly to change this arrangement.

She described the decision as "unmitigated gall."

She said this new contract now seeks to expel the services of those maxi taxi concessionaires who are over 60, and would also be detrimental to those who are reaching that age.

“The contract is for a term of two years...two years, after operating for something like 30 years peacefully with the Division of Education.

“How can you now come and distribute two-year contracts to these maxi taxi concessionaires? It’s nothing short of ridiculous, ludicrous, outrageous and in that regard, there has been an outright deprivation of the legitimate expectations of the maxi taxi concessionaires to continue operating as they have for more than 30 years,” she said.

She said she aims to get to the bottom of this issue “to find out what is the endgame of the THA and the PTSC. We have sought answers from them, but they have not been given to us."

The letter was a "last resort," she said.

“If the PTSC and the THA fail to review and/or amend those individual contracts that were distributed to the maxi taxi concessionaires, we have no choice but to file an application for leave for judicial review, and in that regard, we would be seeing them in court,” she said.

When contacted, Dennis said he had not received any letter. Education Secretary Kelvin Charles said there is no new arrangement in place, as the situation is being reviewed.

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