"taxi-bashing'', the Opposition charged yesterday.

Government was putting itself in direct competition with cabbies, Shadow Transport Minister Mr. Dennis Lister said in a statement.

And the scheme was a "done deal'' before any effort was made to consult with taxi drivers.

A cab driver told The Royal Gazette last night that if he and a group of his colleagues had been consulted first, they would have suggested allowing taxis, like the ferry, to charge $10-a-head to take cruise passengers from St.

George's to Dockyard.

"I'd be willing to take (four) people to Dockyard for $40 rather than not get the business at all,'' said the cabby, who did not want to be named.

In his statement, Mr. Lister said: "The ferry scheme only highlights the need for a national transportation network which is well-structured and organised.

"These elements are clearly lacking from the UBP Government's `ferry-tale' package.

"...The package that Government is offering totally eliminates the taxi drivers in terms of their access to the tourist revenue. Government is now putting itself in direct competition with the taxi industry.'' Transport Minister the Hon. Maxwell Burgess told cabbies at a meeting on Monday night that the 750-passenger public ferry would make two trips west and back every Wednesday -- St. George's Day -- at a cost of $10 per passenger.

Taxi drivers who attended the meeting told the PLP they felt they were being squeezed out by "Big Brother'', Mr. Lister said.

Some were "totally disturbed'' by what happened at the meeting, he said.

"Others have told me that they may as well have not attended for all the good it did them. They have said the meeting was just a rubber-stamping process as the decision has already been made.'' Mr. Lister pointed out that Transport Minister the Hon. Maxwell Burgess, who conducted the meeting, had told cabbies the cruise line bringing the new St.

George's-only liner here had already been told of the proposed tender service.

"Government had its agenda which it was determined to see through at all costs,'' he said.

"The taxi drivers went to the meeting with an open mind, expecting to have a discussion and to give input into the decision-making process. What happened, was when they arrived at the meeting they were told it was a `done deal'. They were railroaded.'' There was no effort to consult with the drivers, he said.

"Instead of Government competing with the taxi industry, they should be concentrating their efforts in enhancing the taxi industry...Yet once again, instead of the best interest of Bermuda coming first, we see Government yet again taking a short-sighted approach.'' Mr. Lister noted public transport costs rose this year, while service decreased, especially for Somerset.

"The Somerset area residents petitioned (last summer) because they felt that their interests were being sacrificed and that the Government was subsidising the cost of the tourist ferry at their expense.

"They seem to have been right. The summer Dockyard to St. George's ferry now being proposed is aimed at benefiting the tourists. This time though, it is not just the Somerset residents who suffer, but we all are the losers -- the taxi industry, the St. George's businesses who might have hoped that the cruise ship passengers would stay a while in St. George's to shop and most importantly the people of Bermuda.'' St. George's South MP Mrs. Grace Bell came to the defence of the planned ferry on Tuesday saying it was "in fairness to the traveling public''.

It was a "well thought out plan'' by the Corporation of St. George's and Government to address an expected influx of visitors in the Old Town this season due to the arrival of the new cruise ship, she said.

"As far as I'm concerned it sounds like a positive thing. You have to give people choices. And with two ships in port the square is going to be very congested.'' Mr. Burgess told taxi drivers the move had been discussed with the Taxi Advisory Committee.