Government had to air announcements on Bermuda's radio stations to get taxi drivers to Dockyard as cruise ship passengers waited for service yesterday.

Transport Control Department Director Kevin Monkman said he had a call at around 1.30 p.m. complaining of queues after the Nordic Empress had arrived but he could not say how many people were affected.

He said he had called the dispatch companies to urge them to fill in the gaps and by 3.30 p.m. the situation was under control. Extra buses and minibuses are laid on for the cruise tourists said Mr. Monkman but he said some visitors wanted taxi tours.

He said: "I am trying to figure out where they all were, we have 600 taxis which should be operating on a day like today. Where are they? I have no idea. And the dispatch firms can't tell me how many drivers are working that day."

There have been queues at the airport while hotels were finding it difficult to get guests out to the airport, said Mr. Monkman. The Royal Gazette could not reach several of the bosses of the larger taxi dispatch companies last night but Aleine Mouchette, President of BIU Taxi Co-op Service, said the problem illustrated why cabs should be fitted with Global Positioning Systems (GPS).

She said it was the only way of knowing where taxis were. Government's bid to fit cabs with GPS has been fought by the Bermuda Taxi Owners' Association (BTOA). Asked where the taxis were yesterday BTOA President Gordon Flood said: "They must be working."

He said at that time on a Tuesday there would be two cruise ships in Hamilton, two in St. George's plus numerous lunchtime flights to cover.

He said the only way to ensure Dockyard was covered was to shackle taxis to specific areas but he said taxis had to have the ability to roam.