AOPT boss says CARIFESTA no big business for small taxis

Small taxi operators did not achieve any meaningful benefits from the recently concluded CARIFESTA XV, the chairman of the Alliance Owners of Public Transport (AOPT) has said.

Roy Raphael, whose organisation represents large and small taxis, said that while some drivers earned fares transporting patrons to festival events, the overall impact was “nothing to shout about”.

He noted that most transport arrangements were handled by the National Cultural Foundation (NCF), which contracted larger companies.

Raphael’s remarks echoed his earlier assessment of the Crop Over season, where he said small operators saw only limited gains. At the time, he pointed out that hire car companies and tour operators fared better, while many locals relied on family or friends for transport, leaving taxi drivers with little more than a trickle of business.

On CARIFESTA, Raphael said many attendees opted to drive themselves to the free Grand Market, and that the public sector vehicle sector “barely scratched the surface” of potential earnings.

He also criticised the late-stage inclusion of taxi representatives in planning discussions, arguing that earlier engagement, including the minibus subsector, could have improved coordination and access.

“We were asked to be involved, but it was too late in coming,” he said. “You invite us to a meeting two or three days before the actual event, when you have a whole year of planning. Obviously, if it got messed up, we would be part of the blame.”

“I would say that in future, what the government needs to do is to include us. Don’t see us as a ‘small fry’ or a ‘small fish’, but include us in the discussion so that it would make things smoother for our operation.”

Meanwhile, AOPT’s Director of Complaints and Legal Affairs, Craig Banfield, offered a more upbeat assessment of CARIFESTA’s impact. He praised taxi operators who participated in the event, saying they “did a great and wonderful job” and that the festival was “well received”.

“We didn’t really have any complaints with the CARIFESTA…. I want to thank all taxi members who were actually assisting with the transportation, who seemed to have done a good job overall on taking persons to and from the various destinations,” Banfield told Barbados TODAY.

Raphael noted that a growing number of commuters opted to use ride-hailing apps during the festival, bypassing roadside pickups. He said the AOPT is now working with the Bim Ride app to help members compete in the digital age.

He also raised concerns about access restrictions, noting that taxi operators not affiliated with the official park-and-ride system were blocked from reaching key venues. He said police directives kept independent drivers at a distance, frustrating both operators and commuters.

The AOPT chair attributed the problem to last-minute planning. (EJ)