Premier urges taxi drivers to utilise knowledge gained

Premier Honourable Ralph T. O’Neal, OBE and City Manager, Ms. Eugenia O’Neal pose with taxi-drivers and tour operators attending today’s presentation ceremony at the Breezeway, Central Administration Complex. Photo Credit: Mr. Ronnielle Frazer/GIS

Addressing the taxi-drivers and tour operators at their presentation ceremony, Premier O’Neal told them to be proud of their accomplishments having completed the workshop Road Town: Then and Now on September 30.

“It is good to know all you can about the town because you do find many visitors are interested in the history of the place that they visit and if you can give them information about the place or the people, how they live, they love that,” Honourable O’Neal said.

He urged them to improve their attitude and dedication to the important role they play in the tourism industry.
 
“It is a job in which you are ever learning; it is not only starting a car and stopping it; it is how to deal with people; how to deal with difficult customers and show them around and tell them all about the place, because the country is small, we admit, but there is quite a lot of history tied up in this little place.”

The Premier commended City Manager Ms. Eugenia O’Neal for taking the initiative to host the workshop. “Many people would see the need for something to be done and they are in a position to do it but they will not, while there are others who see the need for something and do it, are helping to build our country.” 

Honourable O’Neal also urged the City Manager to hold the workshops on an ongoing basis to enable new taxi drivers and tour operators to benefit.  ~~Adz:Right~~

Permanent Secretary in the Premier’s Office Mrs Rosalie Adams who was present at today’s ceremony, underscored the importance of the workshop in improving the accuracy of information disseminated by taxi-drivers and tour operators. “I want to encourage you to be proud of  your certificate knowing that you have gained some very important information that you can now pass on to your passengers and any other persons in need of information.”

Mrs. Adams urged them to “use the information with pride” and not to limit information sharing to visitors only. “You will not only do it with the tourists but there are other persons in Road Town seeking information and you can also help to be a good ambassador, each of you, to give information to the public.

The City Manager, who hosted the workshop, explained that participants were tested upon completion of the workshop with those passing receiving Certificates of Achievement and being qualified to conducts tours of Road Town while the others received Certificates of Attendance.

“We felt that if we were to give certificates, they must mean something and the people who are awarded the certificates and that they must know the information and can impart the information to their clients.”

Ms. O’Neal encouraged the taxi drivers and tour operators to make good use of the information included in the booklet distributed during the seminar.

Taxi-drivers and tour operators form an important link between visitors and their experience in the BVI and as such are an integral part of the Territory’s tourism industry, which is one of the main pillars of the local economy.