Severity against illegal hotel taxis or a strike is on hand!

The National Transport Authority (NTA) will have a strike on its hands if it fails in its crack-down on illegal hotel taxis.

WFTV reported last month that Chinese citizens were abusing the situation.

Nevertheless, there is a lack of enforcement and perceived corrupt practices in the industry.

“They are driving around as illegal taxi operators,”

“And working closely with Chinese travel agents and hotels, picking up Chinese tourists,” said Mr Girish Dev Ramgoolam. 

They do not have taxi licenses to operate in the tourism industry in Mauritius.

“But they have protection from some quarters.”

In a posting on Facebook yesterday, Asraf Ali Ramdin wrote that the hotel taxi drivers are preparing to stage a strike at the hotels.

“Prepare yourselves psychologically for a hunger strike at the hotels where you operate,” the message said.

This will happen only if the NTA – which has promised police help – fails in its bid to crack down on the illegal foreign drivers.

The message also said the NTA took steps recently to curb on the activities of the illegal drivers.

As a matter of fact, the NTS issued several summonses to the foreign drivers.

And they had the help of the police department. 

In the meantime, the taxis operators met with officials of the NTA on Friday.

Addressing the issue with WFTV, Mr Girish Dev Ramgoolam said Mr Kawshik Reesaul commissioner of NTA is giving his full support.

On the other hand, Ramdin in his posting says that taxi operators would meet with MP’s and ministers.

The aim is to discuss the matter at higher levels.

“The Prime Minister (Pravind Jugnauth) must take this dossier in hand. Our legal advisor, Rama Valaydon, will handle this.

“If we do not get satisfaction, we should prepare psychologically for a hunger strike in front of all the hotels were we operate.

“However, the situation is critical,” he wrote.