Madam Speaker, as we approach the start of the 2022-2023 cruise season and strive to enhance our service standard, the Taxi and Livery Commission, in conjunction with the Ministry of Communication and Works, will be undertaking a few initiatives, including the establishment of a Public Transportation Dispatching Unit under the Taxi and Livery Commission, and a review of the Taxi Tariff.

If I may address the latter first, the Official Taxi Tariff took effect on 26th November 2010, marking 12 years since the last official review was undertaken. Over time, the Virgin Islands has developed tremendously, and we must consider the rise in the cost of living over the last decade, as well as now developed areas that are not in the existing Tariff.

As we progress forward, Madam Speaker, it would be remiss of me not to highlight and remedy some of the challenges faced by our Port Security, who have often doubled as Taxi Dispatchers at our ports of entry. Thanks are expressed to those individuals for undertaking this initiative in the interim.

The Commission proposes developing a Public Transportation Dispatching Unit to alleviate these issues. The Commission will be responsible for educating and training the dispatchers so that all Individuals would be knowledgeable in the Taxi-Cab Regulations.

The Public Transportation Dispatching Unit will be responsible for organizing the movement of people to and from all ports of entry, ensuring that an equitable earning mechanism is in place between Taxi and Livery Operators and that we provide the highest standard of service to our visitors and the traveling public.

I thank you.