Taxi drivers praise transport law change

By Diedre Fanene 05 March 2016, 12:00AM

One man’s curse is another man’s blessings.

Ask the taxi drivers yesterday and that’s what they would have told you.

Throughout the country, the ban on election candidates transporting voters to the polling booths meant brisk business for the countless taxi drivers across the country. 

And they were obviously full of praise for the Electoral Office for enforcing the law.

At the Togo A’asa Taxi Stand at Moata’a, Maposua Ioane Vaō of Lauli’i told the Samoa Observer they have been busy since Thursday.

Yesterday was no exception.

“It has been a really good day for all of us because we have been busy from the morning until now,” he said.

“For seven years since I have been a taxi driver here at the Togo A’asa the past two days was the first time we’ve had no cars here at the stand.

 “People have been calling us for taxis because they had no choice. There are no buses and candidates are not allowed to take the voters to the polling booths.

“So no matter how far they want to go, they still call us because we are their only transport to the polling booths.

“It’s great for us because this means that we get extra money.”

Mr. Vaō also said that the day has kept them on their feet rather than just spending the whole day sleeping at the stand.

“At this time in the normal days we would be sleeping at the stand but now we are everywhere,” he said.

“This is such a blessing for us and we acknowledge the government of the day for coming up with this idea.

“It’s not every day that we get to do this our phone never stop ringing and it’s such a blessing for us.”

Asked if they have time to vote, Mr. Vaō said they will have to find the time to do that.

“At the moment our passengers is our main priority but we will go and vote later on when the polling booths calm down,” he said.

Samuelu Va’a from the 4 Corner Express at Vaiala shared a similar story.

“It has been a good day for us,” he said.

“We usually make not even a $100tala during the day but for these two days we have been able to make more than $100tala close to $200 and that is amazing.

“I just wish that all the other days were like this but that is the disadvantage of being a taxi driver we have good days and we have not so good days.

“[But] we just need to go with what we get and enjoy it but as for today we just need to catch the blessings that we received today.”

By Diedre Fanene 05 March 2016, 12:00AM

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