The Bermuda Taxi Owners Association?s new legal consultant Julian Hall has heralded the start of a new era of peace and cooperation between taxi drivers and the Government ? with BTOA members agreeing in principle last week to accept the recently-passed GPS legislation.

The announcement brings a tentative halt to a titanic four-year struggle between a Transport Ministry determined to modernise and improve the Island?s public transport system through the mandatory introduction of a computerised taxi dispatch system and drivers hell-bent on protecting their rights as private and independent businessmen.

Mr. Hall told yesterday that he was approached some weeks ago by the BTOA to look into the implications and practicalities of the new law ? which progressed through the House of Assembly and the Senate with little trouble last month ? and was able to outline the various options at a BTOA general meeting last week attended by close to 200 people.

With the business strategy not as yet clearly defined, the plan from here, Mr. Hall revealed, was for the BTOA to set up its own taxi dispatch company to enable it ?to take charge of its own economic destiny?.

Mr. Hall apologised for not being able to offer a more specific explanation of the agreed proposal, but pointed out that there are many further issues which have to be ?ironed out? before he would be in a position to do so.

But given the often acrimonious and controversy-ridden history of the GPS saga, he argued, the mere fact that the taxi association is now talking with one voice and is prepared to work with Government is reasons enough to celebrate.

?There is a lot of history on this issue, of course, and a lot of it quite acrimonious between the association and the Ministry of Transport,? he said.

?But I?m pleased to say that we are starting to see the beginnings of a more positive way forward. I cannot be too specific at this point.

?I can be more specific in a few weeks? time when the Minister [Ewart Brown has returned from abroad and the foundation for what we are trying to achieve has been laid.

?What I can say is that I gave a very detailed presentation to the whole membership, setting out all the various options. And at the end of the meeting, and after considerable discussion, the members resolved to instruct their executive to move towards setting up a limited liability company, which would itself be in the business of providing a taxi dispatch service as is defined under the legislation.

?It?s hoped that the Ministry and the general public will regard this as a very positive sign.?

Mr. Hall did concede there were ?pockets of unreadiness? present at the general meeting, but added that with someone available to clearly outline the nature of their legal and constitutional position in light of the law?s passing, any lingering dissatisfaction was ultimately quelled.

?By the end of the meeting they unanimously adopted the resolution [to work with the GPS law and establish a dispatch company which was a very, very good sign,? he said.

?I think a lot of the initial acrimony resulted from a failure to communicate properly.

?At the end of the day, the taxi drivers merely want their constitutional and individual rights to be respected and they want to be respected as an industry ? which although it provides a public service, does not render them public servants.

?But it is very important that the industry works in sync with the Government and vice versa. There?s a lot to sort out ? I do not pretend that we are anywhere further than just the beginning. And to some extent it?s sad that it has taken this long to have the reality of GPS sink in. But at least we?ve reached that point.

?To a man and woman, they have always had the best economic interests of Bermuda at heart. At the same time, they have wanted the Ministry and the community to respect them as private business entrepreneurs because that is effectively what the drivers are.?

Mr. Hall concluded by stressing his hope that the flexibility demonstrated by the BTOA on the issue of GPS would be reciprocated.

?Having come this far, we would like to think that the Minister will demonstrate some flexibility when dealing with the association, even in terms of the deadline by which the dispatching equipment must be installed,? he said.

?It is an undeniably exciting development to have reached the point of near unanimity in the taxi industry ? which is something which has proved elusive in recent years. Now that we have, I am confident that the investment climate will favour a venture of this kind.

?It?s a remarkably good fit. But more about that later when, in a few weeks? time, we make clear what corporate direction the whole venture is going to take.?