Does Belize City need more taxi's? Ask any average driver and they'll tell you, "heck no!". And the city council agreed with that when it was first elected two and a half years and ago and put in place a moratorium on new taxi licenses. But now the council is revisiting its policy based on a revised plan for the transport industry. The council this afternoon called all stakeholders to a meeting at BTL Park where it got a lot of feedback. Here are a few clips:..

Alifah Elrington, Councilor With Responsibility for Traffic
"We knew and we understood that we must therefore actually have a discussion in relation to this particular moratorium. I believe that there were no such consultation when we the moratorium was actually put in place and I believe that that need has now arise seeing that we are changing the direction in which we want to take the city and the transport issues in the city whereby we want to regulate the taxi system; we want to regulate the bus system; we want to regulate the dollar van system. We are hoping that this consultation will assist us in actually coming to an understanding between operators and the council with a way forward if it is that there is the need for the lift for the moratorium or if it is that the moratorium should remain, but we must be able to look at different aspects at which point we are going to allow a license plate here, a license plate there."

Taxi Operator #1
"Why consult with us now as to what we want to be done with this moratorium when we were even consulted before when it was strong man on us."

Taxi Operator #2
"I've heard that it was brought in to help the taxi operators, but in my opinion as a taxi operator, it actually punishes the taxi operator."

Taxi Operator #3
"For the moratorium, I am for that. But I am also for Belizeans; if you are a Belizean and you want to get into this taxi business, give them a license. You have men out here with 25 different taxi licenses, some that have 14 taxi licenses - and you have this one man here who just want a taxi to live. I think it's time for you all to apologize because you all plot this market too because you all gave certain people rights over other people and that shouldn't be. It shouldn't be money talks - it should never be money talks - it's under the table licenses are buying. We are realistic about this."

Taxi Operator #4
"I went through the process of trying to get this taxi license the right way of which was prescribed by you guys; first of all when I went to the office, they said okay you need certain vehicle and when I got that vehicle I came to Mr. Jeffries and I said I got the vehicle and I need a license. I had an Astro Van and Mr. Jeffries said we are not licensing Astro Vans as taxi. I went the extra mile and I bought a Lincoln Town Car and I bring it back to Mr. Jeffries and I said I have a Town Car now, Mr. Jeffries look at me and said that we are not licensing you because you are to go to town. Now I have already made my investment and I have the car. Anyway, that didn't work out, but I notice one of my colleagues have a license for taxi, he just got a car from the States and I want to know what went on because you and I are the same - what's the preference? What do you need to have to make yourself appears different or get treated differently?"

Taxi Operator #5
"I heard my Belizeans brothers complaining because every Haitian comes in the country get a taxi license. Some of them 3.4.5 taxi license and then the Belizeans here are complaining. My thing is not against the taxi association because I know them - if they have 20 members. Of course they could control that because anybody else who wants to join their association, they could say no or if they yes, that pie that they are eating off of - it gets smaller because you add more people. So I am talking about the grassroots taxi man who lives in Martin's. Jane Usher Boulevard who can't go on their taxi stand because he doesn't belongs there."

Alifah Elrington, Councilor With Responsibility for Traffic
"If it is that you took in your plates before the 6 months expiration, we will hold it for you and when you get your vehicle back up, we will give you back your plates. This is the policy now, if your vehicle goes down, go to Mr. Jenkins, go to Ms. Myles, go to whom are here today, hand them your license plates and say that your vehicle is down and you don't know if it will be down for two weeks or two years and if they don't give you back your license plates when you go back for it, then you go to Ms. Burke and say remember, on the 24th November when Councilor Alifah Elrington-Hyde said ABC - this is the situation, Ms. Myles do this and Mr. Jenkins do that..."

This is just the first of many meetings that the council hopes to have with stakeholders.