The taxi strike will continue after drivers were left ?speechless? when Government refused to back down on the mandatory installation of global positioning systems in cabs.

Drivers will meet in Bernard?s Park this morning at 10 a.m. to plan their next move after saying the chance of agreement was further behind than ever following Government?s latest offer.

Yesterday Transport Minister Ewart Brown ruled out mediation and said Government would only negotiate on the implementation date.

He told The Royal Gazette: ?They don?t want it, Government does want it. Government will have it. We are flexible with dates.?

The GPS bill is set to go to Parliament tomorrow.

Government plan to make global positioning systems (GPS) mandatory in cabs in a bid to improve response times but cabbies have complained about intrusiveness and cost.

Last night Bermuda Taxi Owners Association President Gordon Flood said he was left speechless by Dr. Brown?s offer.

?Basically all he wants to do is talk about an implementation date and nothing else. That?s point blank telling you we have no choice but to take it, in his words.?

Drivers are also inviting the public to join them on a march on Parliament on Friday.

Last night Mr. Flood said the strike would definitely continue but he could not say how long it would go on.

Drivers had been hoping to cash in this summer with the surge of new flights coming to the Island.

Mr. Flood said: ?I don?t know how deep our pockets are.

?I don?t know what he is thinking. He seems to me to basically be deadpanning and saying ?you will have it regardless?.

?It?s like we are further behind now because he?s flat out not going to negotiate anything to do with GPS.

?It?s almost like saying ?what time do you want me to tie you to a stake to beat you??

?I am so frustrated.?

Taxi drivers claimed in a full-page advertisement in today?s The Royal Gazette that Government offered to install the systems for free. Drivers estimate installation will cost about $3,000 per taxi.

Dr. Brown said that proposal had been mentioned but had been rejected by Mr. Flood. ?We don?t think they took it to their membership,? he said.

The Minister said the offer had now been withdrawn.

Asked about the march on Parliament, Dr. Brown said: ?It?s unfortunate but I understand.?

In a letter to cabbies? lawyer Richard Hector the Minister said the start date for the legislation is a matter for him and the bill gives six months from that date for installation to be complete.

He said: ?If the Bill were to be approved by the legislature and the Minister was to set a commencement date of January 31, 2005, the taxi industry would have until June 30, 2005 to have the requisite equipment installed.?

However, drivers wishing to get on with using the system could do so, said Dr. Brown.

He called upon drivers to get back to work after saying it was normal in industrial relations to end stoppages during negotiations.

But he said mediation was not appropriate although Government wanted to meet for talks.

He wrote: ?This issue is a matter of Government policy and within our system of Government where policy is often subsequently enshrined in legislation, the insertion of a third party, with the ability to review the responsibilities of a Minister of the Crown, Cabinet and Legislature is to usurp the purview of the courts.?

Mr. Flood said he didn?t understand what Dr. Brown meant and added: ?Our lawyer found it very strange.?

See related stories on page 2