Marigot:--- The President of the Collectivity of Saint Martin Frantz Gumbs has agreed to meet with all taxi associations on Dutch side of the island to further explain to them why his government has decided to introduce an annual parking fee for all taxis and buses that choose to use the Marigot Waterfront, Center of Marigot, Grand Case Parking Area, Orient Bay and Oyster Pond (Captain Oliver). This was agreed upon during a joint meeting on Friday morning between the Minister of Public Transportation Franklin Meyers and the President of the COM Frantz Gumbs.Minister Meyers said he felt the meeting was a good one and they have agreed to have a protocol in place where they will meet more regularly to discuss matters pertaining to public transportation. Minster Meyers also admitted that a letter was sent to his office on February 28th by the French side, the same day he departed St. Maarten for medical reasons, then not long after he was confronted with the death of his mother. Meyers said the representatives of the COM indicated to him that they were trying to schedule a meeting with the Dutch side for a few years now. He said while not making excuses for himself this past two months were turbulent for him. He also said that the meeting held on Friday was a step in the right direction.
President Gumbs said the meeting in his opinion was an excellent one since they were able to exchange information and bring clarity to the information that was filtered through the media. Gumbs said the reason he agreed to meet with the professionals themselves (Taxi Drivers) was because there is a lot of misconceptions about the introduction of the parking fees. President Gumbs said he is of the opinion that taxi drivers do not understand what the French side's intentions are when it comes to the introduction of the parking fees. President Gumbs said when he meets with the Dutch side associations he intends to discuss transportation in general, especially how it affects tourism. Some of the issues that the COM President intends to address include the gypsy operations.
Responding to questions about fees that taxi drivers are paying to operate at the A.C Wathey Pier and the Princess Juliana International Airport. President Gumbs said those fees were discussed in debt. However, he said the discussions centered on the $18 per month (Euros 150.00 per year) fee that the French side intends to levy on taxi and bus operators which is not compulsory for all drivers to pay. The president said he does not want to divulge more information on the intended taxation until the talks with the associations who are protesting the fees are completed.
In the meantime, sources say the Minister of Transportation Franklin Meyers has agreed to look into the concession that was granted by the Dutch Government to the Dutch Taxi Association. The source said Minister Meyers promised to get back to the French side when he gathered more information on who exactly is benefitting from the fees that are collected by DSTA and ATA.Several taxi drivers operating at the taxi stand in Marigot shared frustration about the fees the French side government decided to implement without consulting them. The drivers said many days they do not make any monies since there is no work on the French side.
Members of the St. Martin United Taxi Association (SMUTA) said they too were not informed about the parking taxation that will be levied on taxi drivers. The SMUTA members said on one occasion Territorial Councilor Daniel Arnel approached them at their office in Marigot and he informed them that he intended to introduce a parking tax which the association strongly objected to. "Arnel left the meeting without presenting his project because the SMUTA made it clear to him that they will not support additional taxation," the SMUTA member explained. "Those of us working at the harbor have to deal with more discrimination from the DSTA and its dispatchers because they think we knew about the parking fees. Already they were taking away the good jobs even though we are paying more than them and keep it for themselves and their friends. Now since this parking tax we are not getting proper work there either."
The French taxi drivers called on the President of the COM and his councilors to collect the number plate tax and make sure every vehicle owner on the French side purchase their vignette (sticker) if the COM needs money. They said so far the only people buying the vignette are the taxi drivers and adding more taxes on them are unfair.
As for the vendors who sell on the waterfront, they said they have nothing to lose if taxi drivers from the Dutch side do not stop in Marigot. Several of the vendors said the only reason the taxi drivers stop in Marigot is to allow the tourist to use the public restrooms. "The Dutch Taxi Drivers do not bring business for us, they take their passengers to RIMA on the Pondfill Road because RIMA gives them a commission on their sales, and then they would stop at the jewelry stores in the Center of Marigot where they would also get a commission from the store owners. As far as we are concerned the taxi drivers are not thinking about the vendors and the restaurants it is all about what they can make on every tour," one vendor said.
