Beckles: PM should meet with maxi taxi operators

Maxi taxis line up in queue for passengers at City Gate, South Quay, Port of Spain last November. - Photo by Faith Ayoung

OPPOSITION LEADER Pennelope Beckles said any discussion surrounding potential maxi taxi fare increases along the Priority Bus Route must be approached with care, compassion, and a clear understanding of the realities facing working people. She called on Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to meet with the Maxi Taxi Association.

She said the Prime Minister’s “irresponsible attack” on the Maxi Taxi Association signals a leader who has squandered yet another opportunity for constructive engagement.

On December 30, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar said there was no justification for any increase to maxi taxi fares.

She said it might be time to open the Priority Bus Route to all commuters so the maxi taxi drivers can operate without any fee, as she criticised the maxi taxi operators for wanting to raise fares in light of traffic fines being doubled and customs duties increasing.

In a statement on December 31, Beckles said the PM had forgotten her words from May 1, where she said “Our highest priority will be not just to communicate with you, but to commune with you… I will never do my own thing while the country cries out for their needs.”

Beckles said the association has has formally called for consultation on the proposed increase in permit fees, which will now cost operators $2,400 annually.

“This is not a trivial sum. Every citizen understands that additional fixed costs, imposed without consultation, directly erode household income and lower standards of living.

“The reality is that the 2026 budget introduced specific measures such as a landlord tax, a commercial electricity surcharge, increased NIB rates, and higher fees and fines that will inevitably lead to price increases across the country, with consumers feeling the pinch. Add to this the doubling of fines for traffic offences, and it becomes clear that the cost of doing business for maxi taxi operators has risen significantly.”

She said it was for this reason she shared the public’s concern about any increase in maxi taxi fares for the traveling public. She said that same logic must apply to the relentless increase in costs being forced upon maxi taxi operators.

“The Prime Minister cannot condemn fare hikes on one hand while attempting to tax the nation into prosperity on the other. Instead of ruling by fear, I encourage the Prime Minister to govern by consensus and consultation and to meet with the Maxi Taxi Association.

“The inevitable impact of her ill-conceived policies will be to hurt the pockets of the men, women, and children who commute daily on the nation’s roads.”

In a post on X on December 31, Beckles said, “Kamla Persad Bissessar, divide and rule isn’t leadership. While condemning fare hikes, the PM piles on costs including $2,400 permits, new taxes and higher fees without consulting maxi taxi operators. You can’t tax a nation into prosperity. Govern by consensus. Meet them.”