The taxi drivers' decision to hold a one-day strike to protest Government's bill making the central dispatch system official is regrettable, although it would seem the drivers feel they have no choice.

It is hard not to be sympathetic to the drivers, who are facing additional costs and responsibilities for a system in which many of them have little faith.

And it is hard to understand why Government is pushing so hard on this step when the cheaper and a more expedient approach would be to require all drivers to install and use radios in the cabs before moving to GPS.

Now, visitors and residents alike will be inconvenienced just as the tourism season is getting underway. The taxi drivers may feel they have no choice in the matter but to make their voices heard; unfortunately, Transport Minister Ewart Brown has not listened to any of the taxi drivers other protests and is unlikely to do so now.