radios mandatory in cabs, but rejected plans for a central dispatch system.

A chaotic meeting of the Bermuda Taxi Owners Association (BTOA) ended with owners agreeing to stick with the current voice radio system, which can be adapted to take digital messages if necessary.

But the owners dismissed a proposal to join up with the Island's four dispatch firms who have formed a committee and are setting up a company to introduce a central dispatch system.

Meanwhile, the rival Bermuda Taxi Federation plans to urge Government to hike up fares by five percent to compensate for fuel and inflation increases -once the issue of the central dispatch system has been resolved.

Around half of the hundred plus owners had walked out of last night's BTOA meeting at West Pembroke School before the vote had been taken in protest at the bickering and lack of progress.

At one point, around ten men walked out simultaneously after one owner began threatening another man.

Elaine Whitter, President of the Bermuda Industrial Union Taxi Co-Op Service, told the owners the Island's four dispatch companies had come together and met last week to push ahead with a global positioning central dispatch system.

She was voted down at the end of the noisy and ill-tempered meeting when she implored them to join the committee the dispatchers had formed and make their views known.

She told the meeting: "We have done some research and we agree this is the system that best suits the needs of our industry.

"You guys have been in business for 25 years or more and you haven't changed the way you do business.

"There is no business that remains viable and stays in business for 25 years that doesn't change.

"The reason the business is failing is not that tourist numbers are down, its because you haven't changed the way you do business.

"There are minibuses and buses that are thriving. The taxi industry is not filling a need. If the taxi industry was operating to maximum efficiency you guys would make more money, but there are jobs that go begging because the cars aren't there.'' She says the system could accommodate the existing radio systems so that drivers could stay with any of the current four dispatchers so they would not lose their identity.

BTOA President Gordon Flood will now take the proposal that Government make it mandatory for all cabs to have radios to Dr. Brown when he meets him tomorrow.

One driver claimed that Bermuda has a "first class dispatch system that provides taxis better than anywhere you've ever been''.

But another frustrated driver hit back: "You are misinformed or you will not see the light.

"There is a good committee under Dr.Brown that involves other dispatch companies and any owners that are interested. I don't see the point in going a separate direction when this committee is there.'' But another driver condemned Dr.Brown for trying to compel drivers to join the central dispatch system.

"You can't compel someone to be part of a private product but that appears to be what has happened in this case,'' he said.

"Why doesn't Government invite X number of people to participate and see if it works. Its got to be proved to me as an investor. Give it a try first, don't try to compel people.'' Driver Rudolph Bean said: "Tonight has been a total farce. I had a petition against Dr.Brown and he said he will not deal with the problems in this industry until this system is in place.

"I don't see the point in everyone spending a lot of money before they know how the system works.

"Anyone that wants to join the system, join it. Once you prove it works, the rest of the industry will come on board.'' Mr. Flood said he did not agree with a digital dispatch system because some older drivers couldn't read but they had a right to earn a living.

But Mrs. Witter said the proposed system which the four dispatch companies were looking at could accommodate digital or voice.

Meanwhile, the Bermuda Taxi Federation has written to all taxi owners urging them to come to another meeting in March to discuss the problem.

The BTF wants to form a management company to handle the new business.