City hall and Albert Street cab drivers reach compromise

On Monday taxi-drivers from both the Albert Street Taxi Cooperative and Downtown Taxi Cooperative were furious when they showed up at work only to find that they had been moved from their traditional work posts. They were angry and insult that they had not been notified. But even more than that, they were not happy with the alternate parking spaces proposed by City Hall, which placed them behind the Court and far from the action downtown. And all that would have resulted in a serious loss of revenue. But the fiery situation fizzled in a hurry after a meeting with Mayor Darrell Bradley and some quick compromise on parking spots. Freelance reporter Mike Rudon went downtown for an update and has the story.

Mike Rudon, Reporting

Taxi-drivers broke the law in protest on Monday, by parking their vehicles here on Albert Street next to a cordon set up by the City Council around Battlefield Park. Today, they were still parked there, but this time with the permission of Mayor Darrell Bradley, who is allowing members of the Albert Street Taxi Cooperative to park there for the duration of the Battlefield Park project. So what about the Downtown Taxi Cooperative? Well they have been given three spots on Church Street and three spots on Albert Street in front of Brodies. According to Darwin Mackenzie, they’re okay for the time being, even if not exactly ecstatic.

Darwin Mackenzie

Darwin Mackenzie, President, Downtown Taxi Cooperative

“So far the only problem we have dah because one or two vehicles noh respect the spot, noh respect di area. Yes dehn tell we that dehn give we three spots on Church Street and this morning dehn decided to dig up Church Street. So we try rotate wi member. We try put we car like how we got small car, wah four spot and we try rotate them. But I will get back with someone ah dehn weh deh ina di authority so that they can work out back something fi we for wah lee extra spot more.  But do far, I noh really want commence nothing much weh I noh think I supposed to say, so I wah left it like that.”

The taxi-drivers we spoke to today seemed content with the temporary situation, though nobody seems to know exactly where they will be located after the works near the park are completed.

Leonard Castro

Leonard Castro, Downtown Taxi Cooperative

“I think it is good as how we mi deh first because we get back to like normally, but noh really normal as first, but we still get back good. I think we satisfied with the spot. I think all of us satisfied with the spot that we get here that we could get here; that we could get something fi wiself. So I think everybody satisfied with it. So I think it good for us.”

Darwin Mackenzie

“So far after three months, well ih noh tell we weh ih wah do yet, but ih say ih wah try find some kind of solution to solve the problem fi di parking areas fi we. I no wah comment, but mouth say anything fi right now. So we wah take the word fi right now.”

Leonard Castro

“According to the mayor, ih wah give we back our spot hopefully. We noh sure ah that yet. I think when the place done over there, then he might decide what dehn wah give to us; how much taxi because I think the taxi will be limited after that because the spot will get smaller. So when everything done, he will decide what he will give us then we wah just satisfied with what he give us also because they are the ones with power. So we can’t go much against them.”

As Mackenzie mentioned, his cooperative was given three spots on Church Street on Monday, then City Hall immediately started work on that street, which means that they couldn’t get those spots after all. Mike Rudon for News Five.