WILMER JOEL
The Majuro Taxi Drivers Association made history in late April by holding a momentous ceremony for the inauguration of their newly elected officers at the Chiyaya Anmontha Park in Jenrok.
It was the first time for the association to do this in the 50 years since its establishment and it produced attendance of a VIP lineup.
Witnessing this ceremony were the taxi driver’s friends and families and four of the five Majuro Nitijela delegation members, including Minister Sandy Alfred, and Nitijela Members Kalani Kaneko, Tony Muller, and Stephen Philip, and Rita Councilmen Ronnie Lakabung and Arlington Tibon.
Taking the post of president for this administration is veteran taxi driver Taitus Amram. Another veteran, Annej Ishiguro, is the vice president, Jeffery Kakku Alik is the secretary, Thomas Jesse is the treasurer, Dick John is Floor leader, Branny Milne and Charlie Johnny are Police officers, and Bernie Benjamin is the advisor.
President Amram said in his speech that under his administration he and his team vows to make the association upgrade its reliable the service to all customers, especially with the problem of taxi drivers dealing with drugs and harassment to passengers.
Things got more interesting when Nitijela Members Kaneko and Phillip challenged their fellow colleagues and their wives to donate 100 dollars to their budget — the majority of whom agreed to do so.
Even though the program faced error with sound system and time management, it went on pretty smoothly. Before the end of the program the taxi drivers association and their families came together to sing a song of gratitude to their leaders in the old fashioned Marshallese way.