Cabbies look at dispatch system

Radio Cabs owner Edward Darrell will be flying out to a trade show this week to look at the latest dispatching services.

He will go with other industry leaders to an event in Orlando, Florida, from November 3 to November 6 and hopes to eventually buy a computerised dispatching service for his firm which serves around 500 cabs.

"We will try to get the best deal for the best price," he said. "Hopefully, Government will send a representative."

Mr. Darrell said any dispatching service will have to get Government approval but it was unclear what it would accept and he said a trial run with a likely partner might be possible.

Bermuda Taxi Owners Association spokesman Lee Tucker said Government was being obstinate in insisting any new system must have global positioning systems. The system has twice been rejected by the Senate.

He said talks with facilitator Gary Phillips had been deadlocked on the issue. Mr. Phillips said talks were continuing but declined to comment further.

Teen had machete

A teenager who hid a machete in his trousers after a gang-related brawl was sentenced to 100 hours of community service and drug counselling in Magistrates' Court on Friday.

Andre Christopher Shakir, 17, of Spice Lilly Lane, Sandys was charged with obstruction under the Misuse of Drugs Act for not complying with a Police search.

But after Police searched him and found the machete, he was charged with possession of an offensive weapon.

Crown counsel Anthony Blackman said Shakir and another man had been assaulted.

Shakir was reported to tell Police that he was carrying the machete because "he had to protect himself".

Before sentencing, Magistrate William Francis said the 17-year-old had been "caught up in this battle between warring ends of the Island and said he 'went armed' for certain reasons."

"He has a conditional discharge on the condition that he engage in probation. It gives benefits to him," Mr. Francis said.

The other condition of the discharge was that Shakir undergo counselling for substance abuse.

"If he fulfils the conditions of the discharge, it will be a benefit to his record. And at his age he would like to go that way."

Man fined $1,500

A Southampton man was fined $1,500 on Thursday after pleading guilty to importing 11.6 grams of cannabis.

Anthony Bovell, 22, of Sunnyside Park was picked up at Bermuda Airport on October 6 after sniffer dogs raised the alarm.

The drug was found in a travelling companion's luggage and he admitted it was his.

He told Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner in plea court: "I wish I never bought it."

Dump fires erupt

Firefighters had to battle two blazes at the old Pembroke Dump within hours of each other on Friday morning.

Fire Service Lt. Dana Lovell said the large number of trees, brush and horticultural waste deposited at Marsh Folly made the site a constant source of deep-seated brush fires.

Two trucks carrying five firefighters were called out to the fire at 4.38 a.m. They were battled the blaze with 2,000 gallons of water until they the fire was put out at 6.09 a.m.

Less than two hours later, at 7.58 a.m., they were again called out to Marsh Folly, where they used another 2,000 gallons to put out the second fire that morning.

However, the second time, it took only 30 minutes to put the fire out.

China stolen

A set of white bone china was stolen from a home at Church Dale, Smith's last week, Police said.

The complainant told Police that "sometime between 6 p.m. on Saturday and 6 p.m. on Wednesday, an unknown culprit or culprits gained entry into his home".