Taxi drivers’ association elects new president after just one year
Guernsey Taxi Drivers’ Association has overwhelmingly rejected its president after only a year in the post.
And the election of a new president is understood to have resulted in the association’s whole committee stepping down.
Nicki Bessin, who headed up the association since it was formed late last year, was defeated 37 votes to 12, to be replaced by former Guernsey footballer Peter Blondel.
‘Having been approached by various fellow taxi drivers to stand as president, I would like to thank them all for their support,’ said Mr Blondel, who has the joint third most Muratti caps for Guernsey.
‘And in return I shall do my best to continue the good work done over the last five years or so by the previous committees.’
An unnamed taxi driver who attended Saturday’s meeting said the atmosphere was ‘civil but tense’. He said a lot of the ‘rank and file’ members had not been happy with the way the association had been led recently.
‘They need to start afresh after the way it’s gone in the last 12 months,’ he said.
‘They have made a right mess of it.’
He added that in his opinion the relationship between drivers, the DVLA and the public had deteriorated under the old committee’s leadership.
‘The committee did more damage in 12 months than the previous association had done in 25 years,’ he said.
‘Some companies have been charging ridiculous sums when we are supposed to be metered.’
He added that he hoped the new chairman would elect a young team to support him.
‘They need to go out there and be proactive to win the Guernsey public over,’ he said.
The meeting took place on Saturday at the airport, where Mr Blondel was proposed by Kevin Gaudion and seconded by Glen Pontin.
Outgoing chairwoman Nicki Bessin said that she believed the 2023 committee achieved what it had set out to do, and more.
‘The GTDA efforts have paved a new beginning for the industry at a crucial time following the independent review,’ she said.
‘We sincerely hope the following committee will continue to move the association forward and to achieve results with the industry and the general public at the forefront of their decisions.’
