Enforce taxi meter ruling

By DAVID KOMBAKO, Port Moresby

 

I REFER to the installation of taxi meters.

I am a regular taxi user and since the ruling came into effect at the beginning of this year, I’ve come to realise that there is a “sinister” practice by certain taxi drivers to conceal their meters with pieces of cloth so that passengers will not be able to see them.

Why are taxi drivers concealing their meters from passengers?

What is the motive?

Why are they questioning the legality of a policy initiated by the duly constituted authority (ICCC) to regulate public transportation?

I asked a couple of drivers about the meters in taxis and I got conflicting replies.

“The meter is an expensive instrument that will keep the small people from using taxis.”

I am not sure if this is true.

 For example, for taxis without meters, I pay K30 from airport to Waigani but only K20 for those with meters.

Obviously something fishy is going on.

Can the ICCC and the National Road Safety Council look into this and enforce the meter policy?