It’s been a few years since I first heard talk of Uber, a ride-hailing service, being introduced in Saint Lucia. As I listened with great pain to a news story about the possibility of this soon becoming a reality. I couldn’t help but think about what it could mean for our economy, but most of all, for our local taxi drivers.
I write as the son of a former taxi driver, and as someone who has used Uber and similar services like Bolt and Lyft in several countries.
First, let me remind you of something from our past. In the late 1990s, consideration was being given to a regional air carrier flying guests who had landed at Hewanorra International Airport to the then Vigie Airport, to “save them the hassle” of the 75-minute drive to their hotels in the North.
I remember as a child listening to my father discussing this with his brother, also a taxi driver. The one thing that has stayed with me from that conversation was his sense of helplessness. His livelihood was being threatened, and I felt helpless, too, knowing that I would have been affected as well. Thankfully, that plan never materialised.
I write because I do not want to stand with that same feeling of helplessness again. My father is no longer alive, but I write on his behalf; I write on behalf of his colleagues who are still in the sector; and I write on behalf of some of their sons, who have continued in their fathers’ footsteps to provide for their families. I also write because I feel indebted to them; I was a recipient of a scholarship from the Southern Taxi Association during my secondary school years.
Let me outline why the introduction of Uber, or a similar service, would not be good for our economy:
- Direct competition with local taxi drivers.
This service would compete with our established taxi drivers and significantly cut into their income. The Uber platform is open to almost anyone who meets the company’s requirements, increasing the supply of drivers and intensifying competition. - Limited alternatives for displaced workers.
Taxi drivers forced out of the industry would have to upskill to find work elsewhere. Our economy is small, and employment options are far more limited than in larger, more developed countries. And even in these economies, displaced taxi drivers have difficulty getting reasonable employment. - Reduced local earnings.
Uber’s fares are often much lower than traditional taxi rates. This would mean less foreign revenue filtering into our economy through the taxi sector. - Repatriation of profits overseas.
Uber collects a 15-30% commission on every trip. That means a significant portion of revenue generated by both visitors and locals would be sent to an international company – money that could otherwise circulate within our own economy. Less disposable income locally means less spending at vendors, small businesses, and supermarkets. - Gains for some, losses for many.
While Uber may offer opportunities for some to earn additional income, it would come at the grave expense of those whose livelihoods already depend on providing this service. Here is the reality. - Several countries have expressed regret.
Several countries and jurisdictions, including Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Switzerland, Taiwan, Japan and Pakistan, have expressed regret, imposed bans, restricted, or rolled back ride-hailing services like Uber, often due to competition, regulatory, safety, or labour concerns. In many of these places, the companies were not welcomed, faced legal challenges, or were forced to exit entirely.
Some may argue that we need to keep up with the times and that taxi drivers should adapt and get used to platforms like Uber. But the reality is that there is a learning curve – sometimes a steep one. In a former job, I taught university professors, accustomed to traditional classrooms, to transition to online platforms like Blackboard. Even for seasoned intellectuals, this was a struggle. Some were never able to make the transition.
I therefore urge our authorities to deeply consider the repercussions of such a decision on a large group of people in our country and our wider economy. Let’s not make such a decision that could hurt our economy or hurt our people. Let’s work instead to improve our taxi sector. Let us continue fighting and working together to make Saint Lucia the best it can be, protecting the vulnerable. And as we lift our flag with pride, may it always symbolise how we lift each other up – the land, the people, the light.