year.

But although officials are anxious to have it up and running, the move may take some time as it will require new legislation.

Transport Minister Dr. Ewart Brown revealed plans to introduce the central dispatching system, at a breakfast address to the St. George's Chamber of commerce.

Bermuda Industrial Union president Derrick Burgess yesterday confirmed that the new service would be run by the BIU.

But he added that it will require new legislation to be passed.

Dispatch system will have to wait "We would like to start it as soon as possible but will have to wait for some changes to the legislation to be passed first,'' he said.

Saying the change will greatly improve taxi service Island-wide, Dr. Brown attributed his confidence to having the taxi industry unite under one banner.

Dr. Brown had issued the challenge to those in the industry at a special meeting called soon after his appointment as Minister of Transport. At that meeting he was frank and told the more than 100 gathered, that they were too fragmented and that he would need a single representative body with whom to liaise and work.

A few weeks later a taxi division of the BIU was announced as the unified organisation.

Stressing that actions in his Ministry will be driven by customer demand and need, Dr. Brown explained exactly how he thinks this new initiative will help the current problems.

"This means that we will no longer suffer from the mal-distribution of taxis,'' he noted. "Sometimes people say we don't have enough taxis in Bermuda. That's not true. There is poor distribution, they don't know where the work is and so they guess, and they wonder if the Airport is the place or if Southampton Princess is the place and there is no real way of tracking them.

"This system will also allow us to find out whether we have taxis on the road when they should be,'' he continued. "We have reason to believe that there are some taxis that are not in service when they should be.'' Dr. Brown said the new relationship of the Ministry with a newly formed taxi division of the Bermuda Industrial Union would help both the customer and the taxi industry.

"This new alliance will help us to keep tabs on the taxi industry and to help it to grow. It doesn't have to mean that there are going to be cutbacks or more difficult times for taxis. It just means that we have to get more creative.'' Bermuda's high speed ferries are to be custom-made and the Ministry of Transport has sent bids out to 11 companies from all parts of the world.

Companies in Bermuda, Australia, the US and Holland have all expressed interest in custom fitting the four ferries which Government will buy for an estimated $2.5 million each.

Transport Minister Dr. Ewart Brown gave the latest update to members of the St. George's Area Chamber of Commerce at their annual general meeting breakfast last Friday.

Dr. Brown said the Ministry expects to take delivery of the new ferries in September next year and pointed out that while the first phase of the project will see the West End serviced, the St. George's phase would begin in March, 2002.