CRUZ BAY — St. John taxi drivers and other parties interested in improving the flow of traffic and people near the busy Cruz Bay ferry dock appear to be getting things together – with Senator at Large Almando “Rocky” Liburd playing referee.
On Tuesday, February 17, the St. John drivers elected new officers and pledged to cooperate with the as yet unnamed association’s new policies.
Sen. Liburd had warned St. John taxi medallion holders in an early February meeting that they were in danger of losing control over passenger pick up from the taxi stand on V.I. Port Authority controlled property on the Cruz Bay waterfront near the dock
“The group that previously worked to manage taxi traffic in Cruz Bay had fallen apart,” Sen. Liburd explained. “I have conducted two meetings with the drivers over the past few weeks in order to assist them in reorganizing an association of St. John taxi operators.”
“I told them they had to come together and manage it properly or another entity would take over,” Sen. Liburd said.
Long-time taxi driver Dale Hendrickson, who was elected as secretary of the new St. John association, said he sees the reorganization as essential for the drivers and beneficial to the community as a whole.
“With the new association we can now negotiate with the Port Authority and have the taxi stand running as it should be,” Hendrickson explained.
“We are going to do our best to create a better service for the public – both residents and visitors.”
The next step was for the new officers to meet, draft bylaws, propose a name for the association and present this to the membership, Hendrickson said. There are 162 taxi medallions designated for St. John, but not all are in active use, Hendrickson explained.
“Senator Liburd’s office really played a big role in helping us come together and move forward so that we can eliminate the confusion around the dock and taxi stand,” Hendrickson said.
“Everyone who is duly licensed will be allowed to pick up people at the dock,” Sen. Liburd said. “Every driver will have a fair shot.”
Senator Liburd thanked the drivers, Senator Tregenza Roach and St. John Administrator Camille Paris for their assistance in addressing this matter.
“This is a case where everyone came together relatively quickly in a real spirit of cooperation,” Sen. Liburd said. “And I, of course, stand ready to assist further as necessary.”
The officers elected for the new St. John taxi association are: Pamela Samuel, president; Avery Challenger, Vice president; Dale Hendrickson, secretary; Sonia Innocent assistant secretary, and Dale Claxton, treasurer.
