WILLEMSTAD – Taxi drivers in Curaçao continue to resist the plan by Minister of Traffic, Transport, and Spatial Planning Charles Cooper (MFK) to liberalize the public transport market. Led by taxi organization Sinusta, they have once again approached Parliament to voice their objections, fearing that the proposed legal changes will threaten their livelihoods as small entrepreneurs.
The drivers demand recognition for independent taxi operators who are not members of Sinusta and insist that they be included in discussions. To reinforce their stance, they have collected 132 signatures, including 112 from licensed taxi owners and 20 from assistant drivers. They claim that this represents more than 67 percent of the island’s active taxi workforce.
A recent survey among 75 taxi drivers revealed that 83.6 percent strongly oppose the liberalization plan, while only 8.2 percent support it. Additionally, 91.7 percent fear the plan will lead to monopolization and cartel formation, and 86 percent believe the reform is unnecessary. Many drivers also state that they lack full clarity on the content of the proposed law.
Despite repeated requests for dialogue with Minister Cooper, the taxi drivers have not received a response. Instead, they have submitted their concerns to Parliament, hoping that lawmakers will take their grievances seriously and reconsider the minister’s controversial proposal.