WILLEMSTAD – Trade union SINUSTA says there is growing chaos and confusion surrounding taxi fares on Curaçao and is urging the government to provide swift and clear guidance. The union’s concerns follow recent public statements by Charles Cooper, the minister responsible for transport, regarding the fares taxis are allowed to charge tourists.
According to SINUSTA, uncertainty about taxi pricing has persisted for years, largely due to inconsistent policy decisions that were never fully implemented. The union points out that in 2008 the government established fixed fares for taxis and so-called tourist vehicles through an island decree. That framework included a base fare for one to four passengers, a 25 percent surcharge for each additional passenger, and a night surcharge applicable between 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.
The situation became more complex in December 2014, when the Council of Ministers decided that a new fare structure and the introduction of taximeters would take effect as of February 1, 2016. A year later, a special committee was appointed to develop a revised tariff system for the taxi sector. SINUSTA states that despite these decisions, none were translated into concrete, enforceable policy.
In the years that followed, a zone-based fare list appeared, setting out maximum prices per ride. According to the union, this list was never formally approved by the authorities, but it was also never withdrawn. As a result, many taxi drivers continue to use these fares in practice. SINUSTA argues that this has led to significant price differences between drivers, creating unfair competition within the sector and uncertainty for both drivers and passengers.
The union warns that the lack of clear and uniform fares is not only causing division among taxi operators, but is also negatively affecting tourists’ experiences. Visitors are confronted with varying prices for similar trips, which SINUSTA says damages Curaçao’s image as a transparent and reliable tourist destination. The union also criticizes the absence of effective oversight and enforcement by the authorities.
SINUSTA is questioning why key decisions taken between 2014 and 2015 were never carried out and why, nearly a decade later, a structural solution is still lacking. The union has formally requested consultations with Minister Cooper, as well as the minister responsible for economic development, to work toward clear, transparent and universally applicable rules for the taxi sector.
According to SINUSTA, decisive action is urgently needed to prevent further confusion, unrest within the sector, and reputational damage to Curaçao’s tourism industry.