AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums The Cayes Ambergris Caye Twenty Five New Taxis

Twenty five new taxis? Really? Ours is a question. Twenty five new taxis! The public puts an exclamation and is raising eyebrows. We all recall that at one time there was a stop order, an injunction to bring any new vehicle to Isla Bonita for a period of six months. The motive was over saturation of vehicles and a traffic mess and tons of complaints by tourists especially, and the intention of the injunction was to keep La Isla Bonita as a tourist haven.

At the time of the ban there were obviously some complaints by a few taxi drivers who were desirous of importing one vehicle to San Pedro. It worked well for San Pedro and the mayor was complimented for his/her courage and wise decision. The regulatory decision at the time was in general for public and private vehicles. Occasionally a new vehicle would be leaked into the Island and it raised eyebrows on everyone. Somebody had received a special favor or somebody had passed some 'gift' under the table. When the injunction was lifted approvals for new vehicles was tight and one really had to literally remove his vehicle from the island to receive a permit to import another one. Isn't it still so at the moment- that one has to ship out a vehicle from the island to be able to import one - a replacement it is called, and no new vehicles is entertained. This is what is called a right decision for the right intention and everybody supports it.

However, now the news breaks out that our good Mayor has approved 25 brand new licenses to taxi applicants not only to have a license but also to bring in not one, not two nor three but 25 new vehicles to San Pedro. Now this one has not only raised eyebrows but has raised the level of 'bilirubina" or bile on the entire island. The existing taxi drivers are against it because already the competition on taxis is very high and they are not making ends meet. Scores of private vehicle owners are up in arms remembering that they were forced to ship out their vehicles and now these 25 persons will, as simple as one signature, be able to bring in and flood San Pedro Town with vehicles. Resort owners and operators are saying: "What the What?" Even past visitors from abroad are saying: "malo, muy malo�poor decision to create more traffic congestion on an already traffic congested community." The complaints and rejection of this unwise decision is rampant. Even parents of school children and students themselves are taken aback with this decision.

CLICK HERE for the rest of the story in the Ambergris Today

Yikes - 25 more cars. On the other hand these are much more attractive than the vans, and are smaller as well. Wish we could retire the vans altogether as too large.

I wonder if building more condos and resorts and attracting more tourists to the island has anything to do with more traffic and vehicles?

Got a bunch of stuff from the barge you need to get to your boat? Van.

Got 4 pax just arrived at Tropic who did not pack light and need to get to their hotel? Van.

Admittedly these look nicer... for now. Is that a little rust I see though starting on the undercarriage? Is that that crazy taxi driver I see doing 0-50 in the length of a block behind the wheel? Trust they'll look like/ride like the vans soon enough.