century'' by allowing them to pick up more than one fare at a time.

At a packed and rowdy public meeting at the St. John's Pre School last night furious audience members shouted down proposals put forward by the Taxi Advisory Committee to introduce a Shared Ride system.

Under the proposal the Island would be split into six zones and cabbies would be able to take on more than one set of passengers who would each pay a pre-determined rate.

In a brochure handed out to drivers as they entered the hall, Committee Chairman Earlston Brown, said the scheme would: "Propel the taxi industry into the 21st century and enable us to better serve our clients.'' But Committee members were abused and the scheme was slammed as ill-advised and badly thought out by a vociferous and temperamental mob.

And members of the committee themselves also came under attack for being non-elected and "knowing nothing''.

Driver Albert Swan said: "This is garbage. Because the distribution is different the overall impact is going to be negative. This isn't the Taxi Advisory Committee, it's the Taxi Demisery Committee. You are running down the industry and putting me out of business.'' And Walter Byron said: "The committee is there to advise the Minister but you have no right to talk about this. We didn't commission you to look into this.'' And Foristine De Silva said: "This is just laughable. I am not saying we object to a Shared Ride System but not in this form.'' Others argued that the system would be confusing, would rob fares from other drivers and be impossible to police. The meeting broke down into a shambles after Mr. Brown refused to take a vote on the plan, arguing that the matter should be discussed further. After a break of some ten minutes questions were finally resumed.

But when a vote was finally taken on whether the plan should be supported, few of the 150 or so in the audience came out in support.

Transport Minister Wayne Furbert, at the meeting to hear drivers' views, was left in no doubt as to their feelings.

After the vote had been taken he said: "I would like to find a way for this industry to be represented by one group. The advisory committee is supposed to represent the whole industry. They are on your side.

"But if this is not the way forward I have no problem with that. I am a man of my word and if you don't want this system then you don't have to have it.

"But let's find another way to do it. I am not your enemy I am trying to help you. Let's find a way that we can get this thing going.'' After the meeting Mr. Furbert told The Royal Gazette : "I was glad to go to the meeting to get people's views. It was better to go to that rather than try and put through a piece of legislation that some drivers don't agree with.

"I think the system of Shared Rides is on the backburner for the moment but drivers are using the system now. I think they do support it but not in the form it was put tonight.''