Claims that there is Financial Mismanagement
POINTE BLANCHE:--- Several Taxi Drivers called an emergency meeting with the board of the Dutch St. Maarten Taxi Drivers Association (DSTA) on Monday afternoon demanding that the board step down since they have proof that there has been financial mismanagement with the association's funds. Some concerned taxi drivers told SMN News that the members of the DSTA signed a petition demanding that the current board resign. On that petition they mentioned three points as grievances:
- Conflict of Interest
- Vote of Non Confidence
- Lack of Communication on the part of the DSTA.
The taxi drivers said that several of the DSTA board members have their own companies and they are using their position on the board to take cruise passengers from the ships via their companies.They further explained that the DSTA board are forcing taxi drivers to wear the DSTA orange shirts but the board members are wearing the shirts belonging to their companies. One of the board members they said own a company called "Amigo" and this board member wears his company shirt everyday and no one from the board tells him anything because they all are doing the same thing. "When they take the passengers and give it to their companies the taxis that are paying a monthly fee to work at the harbor does not get jobs. Many days some of us going home without a job while the board members are enriching themselves."
The taxi drivers said that while the members and the board started the meeting, it became very heated they ended up in a deadlock because the current board headed by Ottis Hughes has refused to step aside. The taxi drivers told SMN News Monday night that while they are negotiating with the board members of the DSTA they are in a deadlock because the DSTA board does not want to move. They further stated that Hughes has been the DSTA president for the past four years and he has taken it for granted. They further stated that their intention is to have the board resign and then they will appoint an interim board until elections of a new board can be held.
When SMN News contacted the DSTA secretary for a statement it was clear that the taxi drivers were not at all happy as they were very loud as they expressed their concerns. There was loud shouting in the background as the taxi drivers expressed their displeasure at the current board. The DSTA said that they are unable to make a statement on Monday since they are still in a meeting and negotiating with their members, they did promise to get back to SMN News with a statement when the meeting concluded.
