Traveling On... (Day One of the Maxi Taxi Strike)

The rank and file members of the Maxi Taxi association stayed off the roads today as promised, in keeping with their promise to strike in demonstration against MOWT Jack Warner's scheme to 'regularize' PH taxi's.

In  response to the threat and promised action, Warner instructed his and Sat Maharaj's lovechild PTSC Chairman Devant Maharaj to provide adequate buses to dilute the impact of the action to commuters.

Maharaj (junior), sounding a triumphant horn at lunch time today said in his opinion the strike fell flat, that the buses were more than capable of handling the traveling public, to which the members of the traveling public replied "What you takin' 'bout Willis?"

Checks at major transport hubs revealed some delays, but none that can be described as crippling thus far; the extent of the back up plan and its ability to counteract the strike in any meaningful way would be known if they successfully handle the return leg and get commuters safely home in a timely manner at the end of the day.

The bigger questions that remain here are these:

Should the Maxi Taxi Associations decide to retaliate to the Government's retaliation to their strike, how long will Devant be able to hold out and deliver?

Secondly, if the buses can handle the movement of the travelling public, why do we have all these maxi taxi causing needless traffic?

Thirdly, if Warner succeeds in legitimizing the illegal off shoot of public transport at the demise of law abiding members, how long before we are a completely lawless State?

The argument that the PH taxis sprung up because there is a need for them in no way bars any Authority from putting rules and regulations in place to govern their operation and safeguard the traveling public.

You simply cannot do wrong regardless of how right your reason is and expect right to prevail in the end, as the type of society we live in is determined for the most part by the things we allow and the things we deny.

There must be a sensible middle ground here and I reject this all or nothing approach to negotiation on any level.

Sensationalism, badjohnism and thuggery have replaced diplomacy, sensibility and respect in how we conduct our internal affairs, and at some point the proceeds of this decided course of action will make themselves known.

When that day arrives we will surely understand what the old people meant when they cautioned not to let the candle cost more than the funeral.