Taxis to strike Wednesday

Calls for capping fuel prices unheard

The syndicate of taxi drivers is planning to go on a nationwide strike on Wednesday (October 17) protesting the increase in fuel prices.

The drivers are calling for capping the prices of gasoline and fuel oil at L.L 25,000 and L.L20,000 respectively.

The 95-octane graded gasoline currently sells at LL35,900, and the 98-octane gasoline sells at LL36,600. Local prices of fuel are formulated through a combination of costs accrued at several levels.For each 20 liters tank of gasoline, fuel importers, transporters, and stations receive L.L3,000, the State receives L.L4,500 in consumption fees, and a 10 percent VAT.

Abdul Amir Najda, president of Public Transportation Union said the government has not been cooperating with the union’s demands. “Our demands include exempting public transportation cars form customs fees and setting a ceiling for fuel prices for all citizens,” he said.

Najda called on the government to pursue private cars carrying fake taxi licenses. He also called for applying the amendments that were introduced last year to family compensations offered by the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) to taxi drivers.

In September 2011 the government launched a subsidy plan providing taxi drivers with monthly payments for a three-month period. The plan gave taxi drivers a monthly subsidy of $313.