Taxi drivers call for halt to rising fuel prices

Hot on the heels of a government announcement  that there is no more money in the subsidy pot. Panama’s taxi drivers are calling for a halt to rising  fuel prices.

Rafael Reyes, secretary general of Taxi Drivers' Union said on Saturday, March 10 "We want the Government to develop a plan to curb for a few months increasing fuel prices .

He spoke of the negative impact  of rising gasoline and diesel prices on the pockets of citizens  and said that  a formal request to the Minister of Commerce and Industries, Ricardo Quijano, will be made during the week. "We believe the answer to this request will be positive, before we go to the streets to get them to listen to us," said Reyes.

He also commented to La Prensa on progress in the talks with the director of the Transit Authority (ATTT), Juan Pablo Mora. "In a few days that all taxi drivers  will have had their license plates renewed, which we consider a positive step, but there were  still many outstanding issues including  the cost of the yellow paint for taxis and  agreements  needed to be reached on  the constant roadblocks, competition  from "pirate" taxis, and restricted access on the Cinta Costera.