Nicole Tirant is at it again. Last month she was bashing The Carnival Internationale De Seychelles as a marketing impetus, without regard for the 19% growth in Arrivals year on year, on a SCR. 60 Million budget for Ministry of Culture and Tourism. This week, TODAY May 17, 2016, she took a gross unfettered, borderline illiterate attack on The new taxi meters and the entire Free Market system in theory, which her own article confirmed, she has no understanding of, worse then the government itself.
Decision On Taxi Meters
The decision to move towards Taxi meters was not a PL government initiative. This decision was deliberated at length in the National Cross Sector meetings, held with Vice President Danny Faure, all the ministers, SHTA, and SCCI present. The taxi drivers association was asked to attend these meetings. It's Chairman declined the invitation. The decision on meters had numerous compelling reasons: 1. Complaints from Tourists on over charging, 2. Lack of receipts on payment, 3. Lack of uniformity in service delivery, expected of taxi services in any modern avan garde country, such as Seychelles now aspires to achieve.
Meter Vs. Negotiated Price
I personally took a metered Taxi to town from the airport this week. I ask Jojo the driver, how much. He said: " Anywhere in town, SCR. 300.00. I agreed. I ask him before leaving how much is it on the meter. He said let's try it, and he put it on. when I arrived at my destination at the beginning of town, my bill on meter had arrived to SCR. 290.00. Overall, we can agree, the price charged per kilometer, for Seychelles, is a fair price. He did complain that fuel cost had just recently increased. But nothing that will break the bank. Fuel prices will go down further, before they go up again.
How Much Is Too Much?
Nicole Tirant ask in her article: " How much is too much ( referring to new regulations for taxis).
This argument even goes into issues of whether or not, it is constitutional to set a meter requirement and set a rate. Nicole even pulls the Free Market card on this issue to erroneously suggest that it violates the Free Market to have meters.
Call A Cat A Cat - A Dog A Dog!
Today in Seychelles we need social commentators with serious back bone. As a country we cannot tolerate intellectual charades anymore. Look at the disaster SNP has created when gullible Parti Le Pep fell hook- line and sinker for the notorious 13th month salary that will threaten to destroy the Seychelles economy, breed chaos in the work place, wipe out Air Seychelles in three years, wherein what it pays in 13 month salary will exceed its profits by $680,000.00. We must get serious.
Free Market Is Not FOU Market
First and foremost, Free Market does not mean FOU Market. Hong Kong is a free market. Taxis have meters. New York is the king of the Free Market, taxis there have meters. Japan, Tokyo has taxi meters, she is not a communist country. Taxis have to be regulated and controlled like any business in the Free Market. There is no such a thing as a Constitutional Right to not use taxi meters as a Taxi. Our brains are not asses. The Brain is a powerful tool, not a cushion.
World Bank Says Regulate
The World Bank called on the business community on Praslin last week for a Six (6) hour session. Those over 65 were ushered out as blood pressure started to reach unbearable levels. But the talk was frank, tough, to the point. After discussing the chain analysis in the Tourism Industry, the officials from the World Bank made some deep sophisticated revelations. Yes we have 19 % Arrivals, so Carnival does its job. But the national Yield is -1.4%.
This means, we as a nation, are not capturing revenue as we should be. It means we have instances of leakage that must be plugged. This is the challenge today.
If Yield does not increase, government programs cannot improve,citizens quality of life cannot improve, the middle class cannot grow, the rich will get richer, the poor will get poorer. This is the challenge we face.
Back To Taxi Meters
With this hindsight, taxis must be regulated to increase national revenue and stop the flood of Seychelles bashing that they create when they rip off guests to Seychelles. Many do it, we all know. It is not right to protect them at the expense of the Industry. Regulate them! In turn, Tourist are the customers, they deserve a civilized choice, therefore,if they want a meter, they will get it. Complaints will stop.
Then we can get back to focusing on Yield as a Nation. Hopefully commentary will get more serious on all sides. The dialogue must become meaningful to have value to the Nation.
Next step World Bank says is ANTI TRUST Legislation.
I expect we will hear from Nicole again, crying foul over the anti monopoly laws. Guess what?
In Hong Kong, they have anti monopoly laws. In japan they do. In New York they have them.
In Seychelles, we will have them, or we will have civil war.
Sesel Pou Seselwa!
May God Bless All Freedom loving Seychellois!
20 comments:
The 19% increase in arrivals and -1.4% in yield is very easy to explain. Accomodation prices is generally down some 25% to 20% in real terms when compared back to 3 years ago. Large 5* Establishments are competing against small family run self catering establishments. You can get rates for 2 pax in one of the main hotel at Beau Vallon for as little as Euo 100 B&B. Let us not kid ourselves. All these large hotels have benefited and are benefiting from rules that support them to compete against small establishments. I would say the small establishments are creating serious employment opportunities for Seselwa whilst the large concrete resorts are foreign owned and employing a majority of GOP Foreigners. I would say do away with all these unfair benefits that are afforded to these large hotels, you will soon see yield going up. More importantly, start training Seselwa and start remunerating Seselwa chambermaid the basic poverty line salary of SCR10,000 per month, which incidentally works out cheaper than employing a GOP worker at US500 plus GOP charges, +housing, +food +airfares +++++. Oh, I'm not too sure if the 19% arrival increase figures includes all the 'black market arrivals to the Glenny's Islands such as Farquhar ? We need a serious change in Government to be able to address all these malaise.
Mr. Gill has a valid point.
I google New York taxi regulations and found a huge list of laws in place governing the taxi industry in New York the Seychelles taxi has it too good and government is too soft on them. The list of fines for improper conduct is daunting. It goes on and on.
Taximeters are greatly use in western world,for it provide an accurate measure of what the fare should realy be.Today,u have cabs fare for the same distance that vary. U have regular situation whereby,esprcially tourists are being asked to pay triple zhe usual for a route we commonly took.Everybody should pay,as veryone else.Taximeter is not only a boon for customers,but it also enable taxis zo vary fare,not be rpping customers,by in real~time,based on traffic conditions.That is,while for instance,Gill paid SR 300 a one way trip from Victoria to the Airport on fluid traffic period,he would had surely pay more for the same trip during rush hours with traffick jams.
As to parot Tirant she is becoming more and more a burden on Michels back.While the latter,is puttingcall his effort to gain back lost ground and people support,by using both of his heads(the head on his neck and the one in his trousers)Tirant uses bothvof her mouths to destroy what Michel is fighting for ,for survival.
I think Michel should consider seriuosly of get rid of T(y)rant ,tyrannizing him.Elections is near Michel,get rid those toxic and decomposed souls like Tyrant,,they going to destroy yourvlittle hope of survival.
Tirant should be made a Magistrate judge and get her to work, where she wants to be, deserves to be. Get her out of public commentary, because she has a powerful tool TODAY paper, to rubbish the realities, rubbish ideas she passes as brilliance.
At least in !agistrates court, she will deal with only SCR. 10,000.00 cases.
Indeed a simple solution to end the spread of chaos in the life of a Nation.
Make Nicole Tirant a judge.
Christopher Gill
She would have been a better option for michel than fecruiting an old Mauritisn.The latter said“he would need first Seychelles law“When he finished his learning it would time for his retirement.
Then why don't we regulate hotel room rates, Cat Cocos rates, prices in the hotels, boat charter rates and more. Gill, I like your posts but you are wrong on this one and I agree with Tirant. Who controls fuel prices, license fees, import taxis and levies on cars if not the same Lepep government who now wants to regulate taxi fares? This is the least of our worries when it comes to yields from tourism income. Seychelles is losing yield because tourists are booking and paying through third party sites like booking.com and others who take 15 to 20% commissions. Yacht charters are being paid into overseas accounts. Glenny Savy has been pocketing millions for years when all the booking fees are being paid into his wife's Mauritius bank account. Eden Island apartments are booked online and no money ever enters Seychelles.
We have a Lepep government run by Michel and a bunch of idiots. No World Bank is going to solve our yield problem and going after taxi drivers with meters will not help you Gill or Nicole Tirant, both of you who are doing your best to expose this corrupt stupid government. Seychelles is in a dilemma because of Rene and Michel and not because of taxi meters.
Finally, I believe that Tirant would make a better judge than this new Mauritian one that has just been appointed by the CAA, another fake and corrupt Lepep association.
So every week the prices on meters will change as Sepec change prices and robs the public and taxi drivers.
Fuel seems one of our Taxidrivers most expensive operational cost,zhat suck zhem dry
However,our Taxidrivers should also know zhat zhere is an efficient,less costly way for zhem to create a means zo create more yield.It is charging zheir big,powerful ,high fuel fossil fuel car by ELETRICAL,COMBI GAS/ELCTRICAL CARS,-IT exist today highly performance,efficient ,low operational cost cars and in all sieze on world market.Charging from fuel powered car to electrical or gas/elrctrical car would make them save 30%plus not annually but monthly...that means more yield for zhem
Pl govt could encourage zhose cab owners who want zo switch frombfuel powered car to electrical etc.....by providing duty free on import,or a reduction on licence.......
As to outfisherment even more burdened with high cost of fuel .....a sprcial flatrate price could be made avalaible to them by government at the pump. E.g for not per liter,but Per gallon,zhey have a reduction of let say,10 to 20 %.......of course zhis flatrate price at zhe pump must not be a minus for Sepec...but at monum possible........Zhis would not only benfit fishermen but aslo customers,zhe latter would benefit from more stable price if not lower price on zheir purchase.
.
9:22 pm.
The Free Market is not a FOU market. The problem in Seychelles, is the sign says free market, but the practice is free for all.
You are right. Taxi meters must be regulated. They are regulated in other free markets. It is sensible. Why? Because out of 100 good decent drivers, there is always the 10% that spoils the reputation of the lot.
Hotel rates today need to be regulated. Are we to allow five star hotels dump room prices eternally? I should think not.
Cat cocos - it can do with some regulation as well. The ferry business is run like the Wild West. They breach IMO regulations side with cruise ships embark passengers , break schedule , over run routes on Demand .DMC charge 80% commission on tickets from Praslin to La Digue.
Is there a need to regulate, of course there is.
If we want yield to increase, we must regulate.
The question is how?
Each case, I believe will have a different formula, but the ends must justify the means.
Christopher Gill
I agree with this. If there is a failure of the Michel Administration it is the lack of laws and regulations in place to protect small operators in the free market. Free market under Michel has been a disaster for boat charter and excursions. We.have no hope if government does not act. Who is in power is a issue to be deal with on voting day and what happens after. Now we must face the government we have and deal with these issues because the key is in their hands. They cause the problem, as long as they are there they can solve the problem.
Ramkalawan does not even take our phone calls.
Free market for michel equal monnopoly......zhe outcome is contary to what free market is.
Yes but they are now willing to change this,
Bottom line is Michel administration has been sleeping on the job.
Now we have woken them up.
We have gotten them to bring in the world bank thru dialogue.
Now they agree to the world bank recommendations.
This means we are on the right track.
On taxi drivers they pay src 500.00 per month sla fee. They pay no taxes on revenue. They have a free ride in society.
What we are asking is the fees they charge be reasonably calibrated to stop ripping off tourists a practice that hurts our image.
Simple. Makes sense.
The rates are reviewed every 3 months.
If taxis care about it, then they need to become proactive and voice their views instead of sit back and let a silent chairman represent them in the dark.
Christopher Gill
5:22
GOS already has removed trades tax on hybrid. Some taxis are using it. Electric the same. You pay only the vat.
Electric taxi will work well on Praslin. It is flat.
On Mahe with mountains we should get Bureau of standards to give us some test results on life of a charge, life of a battery pack and cost of replacement since humidity shortens the life of the batteries.
GOS could promote electric vehicles by providing outlets for charging them at the car park, international airport, parking on inter isa
Nd quay, taxi stand, other areas where vehicles collect en masse.
The commitment to go green in Seychelles situation is a no brainer.
We spend $75 Million per year on fuel imports.
With an increase in high powered boat yachts plying the seas, this number will continue to increase.
The move to go green must be serious and proactive.
The world bank should focus programs around this initiative.
Pl needs to keep on talking, but it needs more proactive action that is practical not just theory.
Opposition needs to enter the dialogue, use politics to achieve a better country not destabilize it at the cost of sinking her to make her float.
We are not Arc En Ceil.
I doubt very much Ramkalawan or Pillay are Gerard Rose.
One is a self made man, who takes on challenges of great magnitude. The others are " politicians" who have relied on the largess of the state most of their lives, for their comforts. Now they complain.
Sesel Pou Seselwa!
Christopher Gill
Mr Gill,
I fully agree with your post of 8:34, especially 'Opposition needs to enter the dialogue, use politics to achieve a better country not destabilize it at the cost of sinking her to make her float'.......
Unfortunately, if current Captain Michel don't want to dialogue with the real Opposition then RAM & PILLAY has no other choice. Michel should stop playing politics with David Pierre and Martin Aglae !. The ball is squarely in Michels court, he is the one who can initiate or not initiate dialogue. Michel is the one who can make everything happen in terms of a coalition with the real opposition.
I agree RAM & Pillay are not exactly Gerard Rose - but neither is JAM for that matter.
No political,parties have property on initiating a dialogue.While it is true zhat due to zhe last elections result should have taken the initiative for a National dialogue,,.zhe opposition on it side has,also failed to take the initiative zo call for National Dialogue.
Political dialogue takes place in many forms;is initiated by a variety of Actors ,and take place at various level of society.
But,political dialogue zhat takes place as,an Indispensable aspect of planning for the building of unity,peace,and state building has to be driven by political dialogue.
Since neither pl nor zhe opposition can claim to have zhe support of the majority of seychellois behind zhem and zheir iresponsible behaviours is paving the way for more political division........to find unity zhe only path is dialogue.
For that to happen,political parties must disconnect zhemdelves from self~destructive politics of zhe past,overwrought politics of the present and connect by a new politics of the future which transcent partisanship.A paradigm shift in political zhought and behaviour,a radical change in perspective,a new approach and lexicon for political communication of zhe issues and a redegination of issues within a broader National Agenda.It means redefining zhe problem of politics,not merely as competitor for political power but asya process of developing and strengthening zhe moral fiber of politicians and citizens to take colective responsibility.
7:56
Excellent comment!
Dialogue is the key to move the country in the right direction.
Politics of plunging Seychelles into the abyss in order that she can live, I find abhorrent and unacceptable.
PL's play with Pierre and. Martin is what is called a " side show" in a circus.
I would not pay much attention to it. It is meant to simply make a few laughs.
Opposition leaders must in fact be better then that they seek to unseat.
Opposition is held to a hire moral standard because it is an alternative.
If it is not any better then Michel or PL. The Nation has a problem.
Rise above the dust. Do not dig into it.
Sesel Pou Seselwa!
Christopher Gill
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