Labasa taxi drivers’ licences for night service will be suspended if drivers continue to be robbed, says Fiji Taxi Association general-secretary Rishi Ram.

He gave his statement to the Fiji Sun yesterday after a Labasa market stand taxi driver, Saten Sami was knifed and robbed by three youths on Monday night on Vunivau Road after 10pm.

“If we continue to have more incidents like this we are going to suspend all taxi drivers’ licences for late night hours in Labasa,” Mr Ram said.

“This is the third time a Labasa taxi driver has been robbed and beaten up by passengers.

“We have requested Government, so many times, for so many years to consider all taxi drivers to be insured.”

He said taxi drivers did not have any insurance policy to cover their losses from attacks.

“Only there is third party policy that provides benefits to the passengers and not to the driver of the owner of the vehicle,” he said.

“I am humbly requesting the Government to review the third party policy and approve insurance to our taxi drivers.”

“For more than six decades we have been providing taxi services,” Mr Ram said.

“It is high time that Government do something about this because in Labasa the last bus service provided is 6pm and so after that taxi is the only public service transport available,” Mr Ram said.

“Secondly, the Labasa police should seriously conduct and extend night patrol operations on a daily basis,’ he added.

“I believe there are enough vehicle and police officers available who can provide services to the Labasa community,” Mr Ram said.

He said next month the Fiji Taxi association would discuss the issue at their board meeting.

Meanwhile Police Spokesperson Inspector Autnaisa Sokomuri confirmed that three men have been arrested and remanded in police custody yesterday.

“The police officers managed to find these three men immediately after the case was reported,” Inspector Sokomuri said.

“They have been questioned and remanded in custody.

“Our officers had visited the taxi driver at Labasa Hospital and he is still in a critical condition,” he said.

Inspector Sokomuri said the trio would be charged soon but investigation continues.

Mr Sami is a father of three and resides at Wailevu, Labasa.

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