modernisation of the cab industry has been cancelled to prevent any further divide.

BTF President Joe L. Brown told The Royal Gazette last night that the organisation was stepping out of the row over whether or not Bermuda should adopt a central dispatch system for the entire industry.

The decision follows a chaotic meeting held by the Bermuda Taxi Owners Association on Monday, which ended with many owners walking out, personal threats being made, and a vote in favour of sticking to the current voice radio system.

Mr. Brown said the BTF had decided that any more meetings would only divide the industry further, which it wanted to avoid.

He said: "We are bowing out of this particular fight at this particular time.

"We don't want to be any more controversial and we don't want to divide the taxi industry any more than it already is.

"The meeting on Monday was divided, there were a number of people against the central dispatch system, and some don't want any change at all.

"Others want change, but not the central dispatch system. In order to have whatever the Government is trying to do, it has to be unanimously agreed.

"We don't think anything can be achieved by having this meeting next week, so it has been cancelled.'' Mr. Brown said he realised that meetings would have to be held in the future, and said he appreciated that to debate any issue, people of all opinions had to gather.

But he said the BTF did not want to be the one to facilitate further rows.

It was down to Government to pave the way forward with regards discussions, he said.

Mr. Brown said it was disheartening that some taxi drivers did not want change at all.

However, he said he believed Government would finally make a decision on the central dispatch system by taking a majority vote from taxi owners.

He added: "The meeting we had planned next Thursday would turn out exactly the same as the one on Monday -- we don't want that.

"We will not be having any meetings in the very near future about the Global Positioning System (which the Government is proposing). "Change is needed, but when so many people are against it, you cannot go forward with something.

It's a very difficult situation.''