classes differently from taxi drivers.

Sandys South MP Walter Roberts (PLP), speaking during the House of Assembly debate on fare increases for cabbies, said Government had maintained that a tax rebate on fuel and parts for taxi drivers would would "skew'' the economy.

But Finance Minister Grant Gibbons had no qualms last week about removing a fee for professionals.

Government and the Opposition were divided over plans to raise taxi fares by 20 percent but to roll back the start of a late night fare surcharge from 10 p.m. to midnight.

Eventually, the fare increase passed by a vote of 21-17.

During the debate, Mr. Roberts declared: "A rebate would assist taxi drivers.'' And he asked why Bermuda's fuels costs were so "exorbitant'' compared to other jurisdictions. "Why does our gas cost four times what it costs elsewhere?'' Tourism Minister David Dodwell accepted taxi drivers were great ambassadors and took excellent care of visitors.

He stressed the importance of focusing on the future and examining the regulations in the context of the bigger picture, including Bermuda's economy.

It was disappointing, he said, that the Opposition had taken a narrow approach when considering the taxi business.

Mr. Dodwell said he was concerned about how costs affected the visitor.

"I don't want to force visitors and locals on to buses and mopeds because they find the cost of a taxi is too high,'' he said.

Mr. Dodwell said the customer was king today. Surveys had shown visitors were concerned about transport in Bermuda.

"We have to recognise the customer and that it why we are restructuring...anybody who does not move forward is going to be in serious trouble.'' Mr. Dodwell said there were visitors who were concerned about a lack of flexibility in the taxi business.

He went on to make some recommendations, including an overall transportation plan for Bermuda. This would include private and public sector involvement.

Mr. Dodwell then asked what tourist destination did not have a limousine service to take visitors from their hotels.

At this stage taxi drivers in the public gallery walked out.

"You've driven them out,'' Opposition members cried.

Mr. Dodwell protested he had not completed his point. And he added he believed taxi drivers should become partners in the process.

Ottiwell Simmons (PLP) said it would have been ethical for Mr. Furbert to have told the House he was a shareholder in Bermuda Host.

"A responsible Minister must declare his interests.'' Mr. Simmons went on to accuse Government of denying free collective bargaining to taxi drivers.

Taxi drivers and owners were not as cohesive as they should be, he said. A major problem was that they did not belong to a union.

If they belonged to a union they would have legal rights to bargain, Mr.

Simmons said.

Former Premier Sir John Swan said he had sympathy with the drivers.

He said one of the fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution was the right of association, or right to belong to a union.

Sir John went on to present the case of the taxi drivers in the bigger context of Bermuda and the global economy.

Bermuda had undergone changes which saw international business booming and the tourism industry in a sickly state.

There was no "easy fix'' to the problems facing taxi drivers.

During his presentation, Sir John was repeatedly reminded by Acting Speaker Walter Lister to speak closer to the bill.

But Sir John countered: "If you stay so close to the amendments you might lose sight of what they are about.'' After Mr. Lister again called for a narrower presentation, Sir John sat down, saying he could not make his point given the restrictions.

Renee Webb (PLP) said taxi drivers had to pay between $80,000 and $125,000 just to start up a business.

A permit for a four-seater cab was between $80,000 and $90,000, while that for a six-seater was between $100,000 and $125,000.

The burden of taxation always seemed to fall on the working classes, she said.

Government MPs, however, protested the permit fees were not a form of taxation.

Ms Webb went on to berate Mr. Furbert for not declaring his interest in Bermuda Host, which competed with taxi drivers.

She also said Mr. Dodwell should have declared his ownership in hotels before arguing the case for limousine services.

When, asked Ms Webb, will people realise they get the Government they deserve? Returning to the taxi issue, she hit away Govenment's regulation of the industry, while their cost of living continued to rise without regulation. At the same time the Minister of Tourism was busy promoting a limousine service at their expense.

It was easy to understand the taxi driver's anger, she said, because Government's attitude was all too typical of the way Bermudain workers were treated.

Ms Webb urged the Minister of Transport to reconsider the regulations, or a the very least to move the surcharge back to 10 p.m. to avoid a strike.

Minister of Home Affairs Quinton Edness called Ms Webb to task for remarks made about the integrity of UBP MPs at a recent seminar.

"In almost 30 years of often heated debate I've never heard a member accuse another of not having integrity. The member painted all members on this side of the House with a very broad brush.

"It's comments like that that bring this entire House into disrepute,'' he added.

Speaker Ernest DeCouto also expressed concern with Ms Webb's comments, saying he was disturbed by the use of words such as hypocrisy and integrity.

Returning to the taxi issue Mr. Edness said he agreed something had to be done to stop the erosion of driver's incomes.

Part of the problem was customer resistance to large increases; more frequent and smaller increases may be more suitable, he said.

Meanwhile disagreement over the surcharge should not hold up the regulations, said Mr. Edness.

The Minister of Transport had indicated he was prepared to revisit the surcharge issue and while the bill could not be amended, it could be withdrawn, argued Mr. Edness, but that would result in a substantial loss of income for taxi drivers.

Mr. Furbert rose and continued the argument, saying any delay in the bill would result in a loss of about $240 per month per driver.

Considering the House would be adjourning until February, it would take months before the bill returned to the order paper.

SPARKED WALKOUT -- David Dodwell