By ANNELIA NIXON

TRIBUNE BUSINESS REPORTER

anixon@tribunemedia.net

A DISPUTE over loading space at Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA) has escalated, with a tour operator accusing the Road Traffic Department of unfairly reducing her company’s airport space to accommodate livery operators - a claim the department’s controller has flatly rejected.

Cheryl Cambridge, proprietor of Cheryl’s Bahamas Taxi & Tours, said her company’s allocation was reduced from what she described as two and a quarter spaces to one and a quarter following meetings involving airport stakeholders and transportation groups. She said the decision was made without her participation and is now affecting her ability to collect clients.

“They had a meeting with the Livery Association and the Taxi Union, and they made some decision that is affecting the tour operators,” Ms Cambridge said.

“All tour operators were given three spaces. They had a meeting at the airport without us, and they made a decision that is affecting my business.”

However, Road Traffic Controller Dr K Melvin Munroe disputed Ms Cambridge’s account of her current allocation, saying she is operating from two spaces at the airport.

“That person is presently operating two spots at the airport, not one,” Dr Munroe said. “So if they told you that they are operating one spot, it’s a blatant lie.”

The conflicting accounts highlight growing tensions over how limited airport loading space is being managed, as tour operators livery drivers and taxi operators compete for access to arriving passengers.

Ms Cambridge said she previously had two and a quarter spaces and accused the Livery Association of seeking to use additional space near the airport door to display vehicles and attract customers.

“There was always two loading zones,” she said. “I was not in the meetings, so I don’t know what they told him in order for him to take away a space for me and give it to them.”

According to Ms Cambridge, she witnessed a limousine, SUV and town car being positioned near the terminal entrance.

“They were trying to put three cars on the door to showcase when the guests come out for them to see their car, so they could get a fare,” she said.

She alleged that the vehicles were being positioned there by the livery drivers. Ms Cambridge said she subsequently raised the matter directly with Dr Munroe.

“I met with the controller, and I explained to him that I do not have two spaces,” she said. “I have one and a quarter. I always had two and a quarter. They took away one from me. Now I have one and a quarter.”

She said she has also sought a meeting involving Dr Munroe, Nassau Airport Development and Transport Minister Leon Lundy to address the issue.

The dispute comes as authorities attempt to resolve wider disagreements over the use of airport space by commercial transportation providers. Ms Cambridge said she was particularly frustrated because she understood that existing arrangements were supposed to remain unchanged until further notice.

“When everything was forced to remain the same until further notice, I was the only one that they made sure it was carried out,” she said. “And they took away that space from me.”

She said the reduction is creating operational problems for her company, particularly when several clients arrive on the same flight. She also raised concerns about how loading zones are being used, alleging that some Road Traffic officers continue to allow livery drivers to remain parked in spaces intended for loading. Ms Cambridge said this forces her drivers to collect customers from the roadway when the designated space is occupied.

“When someone do have a pickup, they park in my space, and I have to pick them up in the road,” she said.

She argued that tour operators cannot always immediately vacate airport space because flight delays can significantly change pickup times. Ms Cambridge pointed to a recent example in which a flight scheduled to arrive at 4pm was delayed until 6.30pm.

“They don’t know why sometimes we remain there instead of move,” she said, explaining that operators incur a $3 charge each time they leave and re-enter the area.

The tour operator also defended her company’s compliance record, saying her drivers are uniformed and her vehicles are air-conditioned and maintained in accordance with the rules.

“I am law-abiding,” she said. “My drivers dress in uniform, all my cars have air-condition. We law abiding citizens. The ones who are not abiding by the rules are the ones who are given preferential treatment. And we are the ones abiding by the law and are the ones being kicked to the curb.”

Ms Cambridge said she feels she is being victimised and claimed she has been unable to get a satisfactory hearing from officials. She further suggested that officials may have received inaccurate information about the amount of airport space her company requires.

“Apparently they must have told him misinformation that I don’t need all that space,” she said. “They don’t know what I have and what I don’t have.”

Dr Munroe, meanwhile, rejected any suggestion that the Road Traffic Department is targeting Ms Cambridge or giving preferential treatment to another group.

“There is no victimization as relates to anyone at any of those locations where there are public service drivers,” he said.

He stressed that the department’s responsibility is to enforce the law across all categories of public service drivers.

“Without fear or favour, we will continue to enforce what we have in place,” Dr Munroe said. “That goes for livery drivers, taxi drivers, bus drivers, all persons who are considered public service drivers. The law will be enforced.”

President of the Bahamas Livery Drivers Union, Tory Austin, declined to comment on the matter. Tribune Business also reached out to Minister of Transport, Leon Lundy, but did not hear back before press time.