A reader writes: Your column about the taxis is a good start, but after the last two days, I think we need another one.
It’s utterly ridiculous that these guys are allowed to block the entrance to the airport, block the main artery through town and block the roundabout at Palm Beach.
Of course they have a right to protest if they choose, but it’s insane to allow them to be basically terrorists and shut down whatever part of the island they want to immobilize.
If you and I parked our cars and blocked the entrance to the airport, they would arrest us and impound our cars to get traffic flowing again.
Allowing them to shut the island down makes Aruba look like a third world country to all the visitors who are being negatively affected by them.
If they want to stay home and not work, fine.
If they want to legally park their car somewhere and stand in protest in front of parliament, fine.
But there is NO WAY that they should be allowed to do what they are doing to the island right now!
Unless it is used to bully RAIZ for not reaching an understanding prior to the decision publication, to increase the number of riders per cab, at the same rate, besides other concession conditions, though I think it is impossible to negotiate with the spoiled taxi drivers, they are used to getting their way, and are convinced they are entitled.
Obviously, there are some good, respectful and responsible taxi drivers out there, but this group needs to have their cars impounded and their licenses revoked for shutting down the island.
Not that anyone asked my opinion, but I love Aruba and I absolutely hate it when stupid people are being selfish and screw the entire island for their personal gain!
Sorry, rant over for now… Sorry to go off, but I have tried to do a lot of good things very quietly here on the island for a lot of people because in general the people of Aruba are wonderful people and I feel blessed that my family and I have been welcomed here.
And it really makes me upset when I see extremely selfish people harming the island because of their own short-sightedness and greed. Maybe the tax department should audit all 465 taxi drivers to see how much money they claim to make in income each year?
We all know that it’s a cash based position and it’s easy to assume that many drivers might “forget” to include some of their income.
And when you consider that they make $40 per trip from the airport to the high rise hotels, each way, it’s easy to understand that they can make a fortune driving if they want to!
