Industrial action is not in taxi drivers' immediate plans, Lee Tucker, public relations officer for the Bermuda Taxi Owners Association (BTOA), said last night.

Minutes after leaving an executive meeting, Mr. Tucker told The Royal Gazette: "We take the responsible position for the benefit of tourism and the people of Bermuda to suspend any industrial action at this time in anticipation of the Government's proposal of The Motorcar Act slated for Friday."

A number of taxi drivers are opposed to the legislation which will see Global Positioning Systems installed in their cabs in a bid to boost service by monitoring their whereabouts.

On May 17, taxi drivers opposed to the scheme protested by striking which forced hotels to provide transport for arriving and departing guests.

"We'd like to state if the Government withdraws this legislation we would be more than willing to compromise on our position.

"We are calling an urgent meeting at Warwick Workmen's Club on Monday evening (June 3) at 8 p.m. for all taxi drivers who are opposed to this legislation."

Mr. Tucker maintained that the tentative new law will not boost the taxi industry: "We feel our rights have been invaded by saying that we have to install this equipment when we know that it will not benefit the public but instead create further economic hardship.

"Recently Government has been talking about how the slave trade ended in Bermuda, but over a century later it seems as if they are trying to revamp it."

He also said that, contrary to belief, more than 90 percent of Bermuda's taxi drivers and a vast amount of the public supported the position of the BTOA.

Mr. Tucker vehemently denied comments made by Transport Minister Ewart Brown in yesterday's paper.

"I take strong exception to the Minister's statement indicating that I said that if locals want to get a taxi they should move closer to a hotel or the airport.

"I have never said such a thing."