Fernandez Moves to Restore Order Among Taxi Operators at Airport, Cruise Port

Tourism Minister Charles Fernandez has launched high-level talks aimed at restoring order and coordination among taxi operators and other service providers at the V.C. Bird International Airport and in St. John’s during cruise ship calls.

Fernandez, who also holds the portfolios of Civil Aviation, Transportation and Investment, convened key stakeholders from the cruise ship sector, airport transportation groups and regulatory authorities amid growing concerns over parking congestion, disorganization and operational conflicts.

The discussions focused on longstanding disputes surrounding ground transportation management, including disagreements over designated parking areas and a lack of clear coordination among operators.

“Everybody that I spoke to, each party was saying the other one was responsible for some of the problems,” Fernandez said .

He said the government’s main concern is protecting visitors while ensuring residents can move through St. John’s without disruption, particularly on busy cruise days.

“At the end of the day, we are concerned about our visitors and also our people that have to traverse St. John’s, especially on busy days. And so I brought everybody together so we could sort out what the issues were and how best we could work towards resolving them,” he said .

Parking was identified as one of the primary issues to be addressed. Fernandez also pointed to more complex challenges at the airport, where uncertainty over which body holds responsibility has contributed to confusion. A meeting with airport authorities is scheduled to clarify roles and seek resolution .

A major point of contention has been the status of airport taxi associations. Competing groups have claimed legitimacy as the recognized representative body for airport taxi operators, creating further uncertainty within the sector. With some associations reportedly in limbo, questions over representation and authority have intensified operational strain.

Fernandez also raised concerns about unauthorized operators attempting to transport visitors in private vehicles bearing A, C and R license plates .

He warned that such operators are not insured to carry passengers, exposing visitors and the country to potential legal and financial risks.

“The insurance does not cover carrying visitors. And so, if there’s an accident, and one of the visitors gets hurt, who are they going to sue?” he said .

Fernandez said the government must ensure that only properly licensed and insured taxis transport visitors, both to protect the Authorized Taxi Association and to safeguard the country’s tourism reputation .

He stressed that structure, professionalism and fairness are essential as Antigua and Barbuda continues to welcome increasing cruise passengers and air arrivals, noting that a well-organized ground transportation system is critical to maintaining a positive visitor experience and protecting the nation’s tourism brand.

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