Waladi Chauffeurs Guild says it has been excluded from key discussions and accuses rival taxi group of influencing legislation for personal gain.
A proposed government crackdown on unregulated airport transportation has drawn a sharp response from the Waladi Chauffeurs Guild, which says it has long advocated for the very reforms now being considered.
In a letter addressed to the editorial team, Howard Joseph, President of the Waladi Chauffeurs Guild, confirmed the association’s existence and defended its members’ operations at VC Bird International Airport. He noted that the Guild, which has operated for over 15 years, was founded by the late Richard Archibald to provide organised, high-end transport services to hotel guests and visitors booking through tour operators.
“We represent our members who operate private cars on the airport, providing services to the high-end clients who book through the tour operators and hotels,” Joseph wrote. “These things [Chief of Staff Lionel Hurst] is suggesting have come from the Waladi Chauffeurs Guild. These are nothing new.”
During last Thursday’s post-Cabinet media briefing, Hurst stated that new legislation is being drafted to regulate the operation of private vehicles transporting passengers to and from the airport, particularly those bearing standard A or C licence plates. Local taxi drivers have raised concerns about what they perceive as unfair competition, given that they are required to pay fees and adhere to regulations not imposed on private transport providers.
But according to Joseph, the Guild has been actively engaging with the Transport Board and the Ministry of Tourism for years on these very issues—only to be sidelined.
“We have not been given the same access that the United Taxi Association (UTA) has been given,” he stated. “They somehow get drafted into conversations of transportation as if they are the authority.”
He also accused the UTA of attempting to manipulate legislation to its advantage. “Every off-season or approach to off-season we have this conversation resurrected about rogue taxis… the UTA is simply trying to use the legislature to its own personal gain.”
The Cabinet has not yet released a timeline for when the proposed legislation will be brought to Parliament, but Hurst indicated that consultations with stakeholders—including hoteliers and taxi groups—would begin soon.
Joseph urged the government to ensure the Waladi Chauffeurs Guild is included in those talks.
“When the Cabinet of Antigua and Barbuda, the Ministry and Minister of Tourism, and the Transport Board wish to have a meaningful conversation about private transportation and proper regulation, tell them to feel free to include the Waladi Chauffeurs Guild,” he wrote.
As the government moves forward with plans to bring greater oversight to airport transportation, the response from private operators suggests the road ahead will require careful negotiation—balancing regulation with fair representation.
Advertise with the mоѕt vіѕіtеd nеwѕ ѕіtе іn Antigua!
We offer fully customizable and flexible digital marketing packages.
Contact us at [email protected]
