Ministry of Tourism and Port Department officials have started clamping down on surrey drivers operating from the Prince George Dock without proper identification.
On Tuesday, dozens of surrey drivers were denied access to the area of the dock in downtown Nassau where they usually assemble.
Those drivers who were not holders of a valid Ministry of Tourism identification card were denied access behind the gate at the Prince George Dock which is considered a high security zone.
As a result, surrey operators had little choice but to return home, and some decided to park their carriages on the side of Parliament Street, which caused traffic jams for much of the morning.
Clementine Butler, a Ministry of Tourism representative, told The Bahama Journal that the Ministry has been calling on surrey drivers to come forward and renew their identification cards.
She pointed out that these ID cards are not only a requirement of the Ministry, but also the Port Department.
“What has happenedﾅI think is a lesson for them to know that we are very serious about the industry,” Mrs. Butler said. “And so therefore to be able to service the industry they must have the necessary documents.”
Acting President of the Surrey Drivers Association Selvis Fortune told The Bahama Journal that this crackdown could not have come at a worse time.
He said that there were a number of cruise ships in port with a good number of passengers he felt might have taken a ride.
Mr. Fortune said that there are some members of his association who did not submit the necessary paperwork to tourism officials, but he said that there were many who did.
“We didnﾴt get any ID from the port. We have already paid for them and have had no response from officials,” Mr. Fortune said. ” We are in the process of gathering our affairs in order to show that we have paid.”
He also said that communication among the drivers is a must to keep everyone informed of important events.
“Everybody has to work together now. When somebody says something we get stern at the head,” Mr. Fortune said. “It doesnﾴt make [any] sense waiting for the last minute to do these things; none at all.”
Mrs. Butler said that those drivers affected by Tuesdayﾴs events were expected to return to work that afternoon.
Stephen Gay, The Bahama Journal
