Photo Credit: BVI Platinum News

Photo Credit: BVI Platinum News

After meeting with several taxi operators across the Territory, newly appointed Director of the Taxi and Livery Commission, Dameon Percival has concluded that most of the operators are in favour of having a medallion system.

According to the Government Information Service (GIS), the Director held meetings with various taxi associations Territory-wide and safely concluded that the medallion system is a system that many of the taxi operators are in favour of.

"I have met with the West End, Virgin Gorda, Beef Island, Road Town and BVI Taxi Associations so far to introduce myself as well as to get an idea of some of their concerns and I can tell you that the taxi operators respect the medallion system, they think it works and they would not mind seeing a similar system here in the BVI," Percival stated.

Percival said that the Commission is looking forward to working with the various stakeholders to enhancing the taxi and livery industry.

"I have a better understanding of how the organization should be structured, the legislation that needed and we are definitely researching how to implement the medallion into our system," he said.

The Taxi and Livery Commission is the enforcement body charged with the oversight of the Taxi and Livery industry responsible for matters pertaining to the operational aspects of the Road Traffic (Taxi-Cab) Regulations, 1993.

Meanwhile, according to GIS taxi and livery operators will soon benefit from the partnership that was forged between the Taxi and Livery Commission and its USVI counterpart the Taxicab Commission.

The partnership was formed when Percival established communications and accepted an invitation by the Taxicab Commission to visit the USVI to witness day to day experiences with the automobile for hire industry operators when cruise ships are in port, to see how enforcement officers are trained and to observe the legislative process as the Taxicab Commission presented an overview of their 2013 budget to the Legislature of the Virgin Islands.

"The purpose of the visit was basically to get an idea of how their system works. I had an opportunity to see firsthand the power of the commission and garnered a better understanding of the medallion system," Percival stated through GIS.

He said the trip to St. Thomas to visit was very useful. "I have an excellent resource person in Ms. Judith Wheatley, who is the Executive Director and a very seasoned individual in the business with over 25 years in the field. I have very high hopes for the Commission."