BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – HOLDERS of taxi licences issued prior to March 2009 are reminded that those licences are invalid and must be changed immediately.
Head of the Traffic Department Inspector Cromwell Henry explained to SKNVibes that taxi licences were previously issued under the Public Service Drivers Act but in March 2009 when the St. Christopher Tourism Authority (Prescribed Area) Act 2009 was passed, licences previously distributed became invalid.
He further explained that those licences were not immediately invalidated but were, according to the St. Christopher Tourism Authority (Prescribed Area) Act 2009, nullified six months after the enactment of that Act.
He said, in the past, taxi operators would apply for their taxi licences from the Tourism Authority, and while this has not changed the requirements which one has to meet in order to obtain a taxi license has.
“The licence would be similar to the one issued previously except that there are more requirements under the new Act for prospective applicants. Some of these include a police certificate, medical results from a medical examiner and shall include results of an eye and ear examination, one must be a citizen of St. Kitts or any state within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and must have a driver’s licence for at least two years. These were not previously required.”
The problem as it relates to the invalidity of the licences, Henry said, “Is not a widespread one,” but as with any other “practice that is not legal, we have to address it”. He is encouraging those with voided taxi licences to comply with the law before the commencement of the upcoming tourist season.
“This is all in an effort by the Authority to raise the standard of service that the taxi operators provide. The police are expected to enforce this provision of the law that requires operators to have taxi licenses. And so we are again reminding those operators who have not yet applied for the new licence to do so expeditiously as the tourist season approaches, to avoid inconveniences to themselves and their guests.”
Henry informed that penalty for an offence under this Act is a fine not exceeding $5 000 or imprisonment not exceeding six months, or both.
