New private taxis allowed for first time since '99

Описание: (9 Jul 2008) SHOTLIST
1. Low shot of Old Capitol building with horse and carriage and classic car taxi passing
2. Zoom out people getting out of classic car taxi
3. Medium shot classic car taxi passing in front of several parked taxis
4. Medium classic taxi leaving parking space
5. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Juan Oliva, Private Taxi Operator:
"Of course people will benefit. There are people with cars who do not have licences. Now they're authorised. They pay the stipend to the state and they can keep on working. It's a normal thing."
6. Classic taxi parking amongst other classic taxis
7. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Enemelio Trujillo, Private Taxi Operator:
"I think it's good that they give licences because that way everyone has the right to work without committing any illegalities. I think it's good news."
8. Wide two classic taxis passing bus loading passengers
9. Medium shot new Chinese bus passing
10. Medium shot classic car taxi passing on street
11. Medium shot passengers getting on bus
12. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Georgina Mora, Havana Resident and Public Transportation User:
"What the state should do is provide more cars, more state-owned cars. Understand? Thus is so that the service can be better, the private taxis have to get better and lower their fares. Private taxis charge too much."
13. Pan right classic taxi leaving parking space loaded with passengers
STORYLINE
Cuba has promised to lift a nine-year ban on new licences for private taxis, authorising a measure of private enterprise on the communist-run island and potentially legalising thousands of drivers who now earn unauthorised livings using their classic American cars to give rides.
The move marks the government of new President Raul Castro's latest break with the policies of his older brother Fidel, who spent years denouncing drivers of gypsy taxis, saying they were getting rich illegally while encouraging a black market for stolen gasoline.
State radio reported that Transportation Minister Jorge Luis Sierra said during a closed parliamentary commission meeting that officials would soon begin authorising new private taxis, doing away with 1999 moratorium.
How many licences would be issued was not clear, but Sierra said the programme would focus first on rural areas.
Unlicensed taxis perform an important public service by helping to fill gaps in Cuba's woeful public transportation system.
While the government operates a small fleet of expensive, modern taxis geared toward tourists, permission for ordinary Cubans to buy new cars is tightly controlled. But drivers can use vehicles they owned before Fidel Castro's revolution in 1959, giving rise to the island's reputation as a moving museum of classic American cars.
Many of those hulking '57 Chevys and 1940 Packards are now used as taxis - either licensed or otherwise - and drivers modify interior seating to squeeze in extra passengers.
"I think it's good that they give licences because that way everyone has the right to work without committing any illegalities," said Enemelio Trujillo, a licensed taxi driver who spoke in front of a powder blue 1950s Chrysler.
According to Radio Rebelde, Sierra said the government planned to provide a salary to newly licensed drivers, as well free gasoline, something it does not do for licensed taxis already on the road. But new rules would assign recently licensed drivers specific routes and fares, obligating them to operate like tiny buses, the transportation minister said.
When travelling around Cuba, it is clear that unauthorised taxis outnumber licensed ones on the streets of large cities.

Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter:   / ap_archive  
Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​
Instagram:   / apnews  


You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...