When the labour ministry took over the 200-bedded quarantine facility in Gelephu as a workforce management centre last month, taxi drivers in the town were hopeful of a better business prospect. But their hopes were crashed when agents processing permits for foreign workers at the centre offered transportation services to the same drivers every time. The agents process permits and also facilitate taxi services for foreign labourers.
Some of the taxi drivers whose cars remain idle in the parking area said they wouldn’t have to stay without work if the agents offered equal opportunity to transport labourers to their respective worksites.
To address the issue, Taxi Association warned the agents and taxi drivers involved in such practices not to repeat them in the future.
“Taxi drivers are building contacts with agents and then they take and even sell passengers to other taxi drivers. We have it all on paper. This could lead to conflict between the agents and the taxi association,” said Rinzin Chophel, the chairman of the Taxi Association.
However, some of the agents in Gelephu denied the claims. They instead alleged that some taxi drivers failed to reach the labourers on time to their respective worksites. They said this left them with no option but to offer work to taxi drivers they can rely on.
Chhimi from Menjong Foreign Workers Agent in Gelephu said they initially offered the job of transporting foreign workers to the Taxi Association. However, she said, there were issues.
“Some labourers coming in bigger groups were made to wait until the taxis filled in their capacity. Since we have to issue SIM cards right after the labourers obtain their work permits, they call their employers. And the employers think our service is delaying the labourers from reaching the worksite on time and they switch agents while bringing the next batch of labourers.”
The agents and taxi drivers resolved the issue by agreeing to operate on a first-come-first-served basis. Taxi drivers will have to visit the Taxi Association office at the Workforce Management Center to register from 9 AM. And Taxi Association’s office will allot passengers to whoever registers first.
However, taxi drivers who are not members of the Association will have to pay Nu 30 per passenger to the association and will also have to register with the Regional Labour Office in their respective regions to transport foreign labourers to their worksites.
Currently, there are around 375 taxis in Sarpang of which 250 are registered with the Taxi Association.
Karma Wangdi, Sarpang
Edited by Phub Gyem
