Transport Minister Ewart Brown's proposals to force computerised dispatching and satellite based tracking technology (GPS) on the taxi industry may make it back to the Island's legislature in a modified form.

While some of his own Parliamentary colleagues are still not too happy about what they privately consider to be the Minister's stubbornness on the controversial GPS technology, Dr. Brown is actively pursuing whether one of the provisions of The Motor Car Amendment Act can be enacted independently.

And the Minister is backing down somewhat on his vow made immediately after last week's Senate rejection of the bill to reintroduce it in a year.

“Things change... What I said was we can bring it back in a year. It's not fixed. Right now that is the plan, but there is also the present legislation which says every taxi has to have a radio,” he told The Royal Gazette.

“Since we weren't successful in changing it then we have to enforce legislation already in place.”

Besides requiring all taxis to have two way radios installed, the current legislation also requires dispatchers to submit data to Government.

Government had argued that not only will GPS improve driver safety and service to the public but computerisation makes it easier to collect the information.

The Motor Car Amendment Act, which would have mandated that every taxi have installed the satellite based tracking technology known as GPS, a mobile data terminal and a panic button, was rejected by the Senate last week when Independent Senators voted with the United Bermuda Party (UBP) Senators against it.

But the bill reached the Upper Chamber with a number of sweetener provisions, tacked on after months of negotiations, one of which was to allow the importation of reconditioned taxis. Dr. Brown said yesterday that he was looking at bringing that provision back to the House of Assembly as a separate measure and said he has already asked the Attorney General's office to look into it.

“One of the most regrettable things about the Senate rejection is that the opportunity to have them buy taxis at 30 to 50 percent savings has been lost,” the Minister said.

The Senate vote meant that the bill cannot be taken up in the same form again for another year, but if it then passes the House of Assembly again it will be automatically approved by the Senate. Government also has the option of making changes to the bill and bringing it back to the House sooner.

The Bermuda Taxi Owners Association (BTOA) is no longer opposed to computerised dispatching but it does have strong reservations about GPS. Its stance is that it should be optional is supported by the Opposition and some Government MPs.

While the Minister insists that he is not abandoning his GPS crusade, some of his own colleagues are hoping he would at least get used to the word “optional”.

Government Whip Ottiwell Simmons was hesitant to comment saying he did not want to get into a public controversy with Dr. Brown. But he said his position had not changed since the House debate on June 7. Mr. Simmons abstained during the vote saying: “If I was in authority, I would not make this (GPS) compulsory. I would have gone to the taxi drivers and the people selling the goods.”

Yesterday he said Dr. Brown and the taxi drivers should use the extra time in more talks “to calm the waters” and come to a mutual agreement.

Backbencher Wayne Perinchief pointed out that the bill has an 18 month grace period before enforcement and that adding an extra year would mean two and a half years before cabbies are forced to adopt the technology. “You might as well make it optional,” he reasoned.

As far as Dr. Brown is concerned GPS and computerised dispatching is already optional.

“There's no law that says a dispatch company has to use a particularly type of technology,” the Minister said.

Mr. Perinchief also figures that Government runs the risk of GPS being a general election issue if the matter is left until next year. If that's the case, he said: “I think it could impact on us negatively.”

“What would really make a difference in the next election is for people to get a taxi on time,” quipped Dr. Brown.