There was more confusion over whether taxis will be forced to install GPS technology after disgruntled drivers met Transport Minister Ewart Brown and Premier Jennifer Smith yesterday.

Drivers who oppose the system said after the meeting yesterday that Dr. Brown had said GPS will not be mandatory.

But Dr. Brown said he had not changed his position.

His position has been that GPS is the best system for taxis and that - after making the system mandatory was defeated in June, 2002 in Senate - he would bring the legislation back to the House of Assembly in a year where it would pass automatically into law. However, when asked by The Royal Gazette if the Progressive Labour Party would bring legislation to make GPS mandatory if it wins the election, Dr. Brown said last night: "No comment".

Drivers celebrated last June when the Senate defeated Dr. Brown's plans to make GPS mandatory in all taxis.

Dr. Brown said he would wait one year and bring back the legislation to the House of Assembly to make the GPS dispatch system compulsory. But the House was dissolved last month because the General Election was called.

Taxi leaders - some of whom have threatened to vote against the PLP if they are forced to accept GPS - met Dr. Brown, the Premier, Transport Permanent Secretary Marc Telemaque, Chief of Staff David Burch, and Cabinet Secretary John Drinkwater at Cabinet Office yesterday.

After the meeting, Bermuda Taxi Owners Association chair Gordon Flood said: "He (Dr. Brown) said GPS would not be mandatory and the ones that want it can put it in, but I can't see anyone coming forward to put it in on their own.

"I don't see anyone coming forward and investing that type of money in the system if it is not being made mandatory, and I don't want it to be mandatory because we have reservations about it."

When asked his response to Dr. Brown's comments, he said: "I don't know how to take it. I have reservations."

Taxi driver Rudolph Bean, who was also at the meeting, told ZBM last night that Dr. Brown had said GPS will not be mandatory but he would not given an assurance in writing.

Dr. Brown told The Royal Gazette last night: "I've said what I'm going to say to the media about GPS. If that was his (Mr. Flood's) impression, he must have been at another meeting.

"He should have understood that anyone who wished to do GPS is free to do it or any other type of computerised system and can do what they want with that system.

"There's no change.

"It can't be mandatory unless it is passed by the House of Assembly. There is no House, so GPS is where it was - awaiting action.

"We don't know who the next government or Transport Minister will be so therefore to talk about whether it will mandatory depends on a number of things.

"I've said all along that any company that wants to install it or modernise their system can do do so.

"I understand they are looking at a GPS option.

"I've always said that GPS is the best option for the taxi industry in Bermuda and I haven't changed that position.

"There's a lot of `ifs,' but I am telling you that the new government will have to make that decision."

When asked if the PLP would make GPS mandatory if it wins the election, he said: "No comment."