‘Strike threats won’t stop us’ – Austin Gatt

Matthew Vella
Transport, IT and Investments Minister Austin Gatt yesterday flexed his muscles in the face of threats by the Transport Federation to respect agreements reached at the last transport strike, or else face a paralysis of public transport once again.
It made its warning in a reaction to the consultation document issued last Saturday on a reform of the taxi service.
The ministry wants to the current 200 taxi permits increased to 700, and increase the number of electric taxi cabs. But the federation has already sounded its doubts as to whether the market can take such an increase in service providers.
Gatt yesterday said public consultation was still open to anyone who wanted to make their comment on the radical transport reform government has planned.
He pointed out that the Transport Federation’s statement, which includes the Public Transport Association, as well as the Minibuses Cooperative and the White Taxis Association, was in stark contrast to the statement issued by the WTA which made no threats of strike.
The Transport Federation said the taxis sector was not made up of just 200 white taxis, but included some 2,000 taxi services, including black and grey taxis, red and white vans.
It said the ministry had failedto mention that during the winter there was not even enough business for the white taxis alone.
The federation claimed it had agreed with the government to conduct a stuy of the market and analyse whether it could take further liberalisation. It pointed out that since the liberalisation of the hearses sector, consumers had not seen lower prices.
“The federation warns the minister that if he does not wish to see public transport paralysed again, he should respect what was agreed,” the federation warned.
Gatt said the ministry would honour its promises and continue with discussions with the concerned parties, and welcome proposals and suggestions from the general public.
“Governent is breaking no promise it had reached with the transport operators in the last transport strike.”
Gatt warned the federation that it would be wiser for it to express some form of constructive criticism in the public consultation process, “rather than issue threatening statements about going on strike.”
“Today the public is not being served well by the public transport services and the public consultation process so far has confirmed that reform is demanded by the public and needed for the country.”
Gatt said the federation’s threatening attitude was justification in itself that liberalisation was needed in this sector.

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