Taxi drivers were celebrating last night after Senate blocked Government's controversial plans to force them to install global positioning system (GPS) technology.

Transport Minister Dr. Ewart Brown said he was disappointed by the Senate decision, but he vowed to reintroduce the Bill to put GPS in all cabs again in the House of Assembly in one year.

If the House passes the legislation again in a year, the Senate will have no power of veto. Independent senators, including Senate President Alf Oughton, lined up with two of three United Bermuda Party senators present to oppose the Bill, resulting in a tied 5-5 vote, and the legislation being placed on hold for a year before it can be returned to the House.

They had been heavily lobbied in recent weeks by taxi owners. Dr. Brown said that in the meantime, he would be rigorously enforcing existing legislation to make all drivers use two way radios.

Gordon Flood, the President of Bermuda Taxi Owners' Association (BTOA), which had campaigned against GPS, said he was delighted with the result, but disappointed Dr. Brown intended to reintroduce the system again next year.

“I am very happy, I am delighted, but I am only sorry that it hasn't been quashed altogether,” he told The Royal Gazette. “The only hope for me, personally, is that he (Dr. Brown) will no longer be in power, although I can't say that for the whole Association as some members support the Progressive Labour Party.”

BTOA committee member Kimmie Mello, added: “Justice was done, not just for the taxi industry but for the motoring public. “It doesn't end here. We'll be calling a meeting of members to see how we can work hard to improve the minor problems in the taxi industry.

“No logical businessman looking to improve his business would jump into something that has not been piloted, yet Government and some individuals were forcing us into accepting a technology that hasn't been tested when our research shows its only useful for tracking planes and ships, not the taxi industry.”

Dr. Brown said after the vote: “I am disappointed. I was hoping the hard work which our senators put in would have resulted in a victory.

“However, I respect the political process and we will now move to Plan B, which is to reintroduce the legislation in the House of Assembly, one year day from the day it was passed, and in the meantime reinforce the laws that are on the books.

“It will probably be pretty much the same, I expect it to be the same.”

Dr. Brown said he was also disappointed that the Senate vote killed another concession which Government had offered the drivers - to allow them to bring in reconditioned taxis.

He will consult Attorney General Dame Lois Browne Evans to see if he can push ahead with allowing reconditioned cabs into the Island.

Independent senators Alf Oughton, Walwyn Hughes and Jeanette Cannonier voted with UBP senators Kim Swan and Neville Darrell to tie the vote at 5-5. UBP Sen. Leonard Santucci was absent.

Progressive Labour Party Senators Lt. Col. David Burch, Calvin Smith, Michael Scott, Patrice Parris and Victoria Pearman voted for the Bill.

Government senators argued the GPS technology was essential for improving the Island's taxi service, which would also increase the profits of drivers.

But UBP and independent senators countered that no research had been done to prove the system - which involved computers in each cab allowing dispatchers to send the nearest driver to each job - would work, and that cabbies, as independent businessmen, should not be forced to accept technology they did not want.

Sen. Pearman, who introduced the Bill for Government, said afterwards: “I am disappointed we weren't able to secure passage of the proposed changes today.

“We thought we got the right balance in what we were proposing between the best interests of all, including the taxi operators, the drivers and the public.

“There was, however, unanimity in Senate that there were concerns about the industry and all members appeared to be unanimous in requiring the immediate and complete compliance with existing taxi laws and regulations such as having the taxis on the road 16 hours a day, and the immediate return of radio dispatch.

“We will have to reconsider the position, but the sticking point appeared to be the GPS aspect of the system.”

She said the opposing arguments about lack of information and research were “circular” because they relied on 1950's technology that could not provide the information.

UBP Senate Leader Kim Swan said outside the Chamber: “Government wasn't able to make a case for GPS and today we reflected and took the right decision.

“There was a tremendous shortage of details and specifics and the most striking fact was they were looking for statistics and they seemed to want the taxi drivers and owners to fund that research, which didn't seem fair.

“The challenge now is for the taxi industry to look inwards and come together and continue to take on board the two way radios and to see if they can within themselves promote something for the good of the industry so there is no need for the Government to do this sort of thing.”

Sen. Cannonier said after the vote that she supported GPS, but after doing research she found there were already taxi laws on the books such as two radios which would improve the service - but were not enforced.