Clarification & Call for Journalistic Integrity
The following is the full, unedited statement submitted by the Bermuda Taxi Owners and Operators Association (BTOA) in response to the Royal Gazette article published on September 4, 2025, titled “Dockyard cannot cope, says BTOA.”
Regrettably, the version printed by the Royal Gazette does not reflect our intended message. The selective editing and framing of our comments diverged significantly from the nuanced, solution-oriented perspective we provided.
The BTOA requests a correction of the statements and headline to accurately reflect the intended message.
We submit this full text to demonstrate the original intent and to call for greater transparency and collaboration between media and the BTOA, particularly:
- That quotations should be accurately and respectfully represented, and where edits are needed for length or clarity, these should be clarified or approved by the source.
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Headlines and article structure should faithfully reflect the core message rather than misleading or sensationalizing it.
- All Journalists, when revising provided statements, should seek confirmation from quoted parties before publishing, to avoid unintended misinterpretation.
Our full statement is published below to ensure the public sees the complete context and to encourage media outlets to uphold these standards of responsible journalism.
The Question presented by the Royal Gazette:
Journalist Jessi Moniz emailed BTOA regarding transport issues faced by PSV operators at the Royal Naval Dockyard. “I am doing an update on the transportation system in the Dockyard. Last year, it was a bit of a mess. Is it any better this year? Did Wedco’s pass system help the situation?“
BTOA’s Response to Questions from The Royal Gazette
BTOA and Wedco have been in discussion about these changes for the past year. Wedco, BTA, and TCD officials have met with BTOA executives and members on multiple occasions, and those discussions have generally been positive. We appreciate that change takes time to implement.
That said, PSV operators did face challenges when the new policy was introduced. While Wedco has since hired additional staff to manage the increased passenger numbers from the cruise ships, the broader issue lies in infrastructure, personnel, and transport capacity at the ports, which are simply not adequate for the daily volume of arriving passengers.
To illustrate: if two cruise ships arrive on the same day, each carrying over 4,000 passengers and 1,000 staff—that’s as many as 10,000 potential visitors coming ashore, often within the same five-hour window between 8:00 AM and 1:00 PM. This can mean 2,000 people per hour seeking transportation at peak times.
Current resources to service this volume include:
- 6–10 port staff
- 550+ active taxis
- 200+ active minibuses
- 2 public bus routes
- 1 public ferry
- 1 private ferry (for NCL passengers only)
Even if every available taxi, minibus, and ferry were dedicated solely to the cruise ports, the system could move only 5,000–6,000 passengers at once. But in reality, the industry also serves the entire island—international business, hotels, restaurants, the airport, dispatch companies, and the general public—so gaps in service are inevitable.
This is why some customers, especially at the ports, experience wait times or confusion about transport options. Another challenge is geography: Bermuda’s two main ports are located on opposite ends of the island. While the ports themselves cannot move, the scheduling of cruise and air arrivals can be adjusted.
Staggering these arrivals would allow the industry to better allocate resources, improving efficiency and customer experience. Such measures would fall under the remit of the Ministries of Transport and Tourism. Despite these challenges, BTOA and its members stand ready and committed to servicing the public, visitors, and stakeholders across the island.
We believe that with continued collaboration between government, industry partners, and operators, Bermuda can achieve higher service levels and ensure visitors leave with a positive transport experience.
“— End of BTOA comments —”
Upholding Transparency in Public Communication
As Bermuda’s leading daily news outlet, the Royal Gazette holds a responsibility to present information that is both truthful and transparent. When statements from organizations such as the BTOA are reduced, reframed, or published out of their intended context, the result is confusion for the public and misrepresentation of the issues at hand.
The BTOA believes that collaboration between media outlets and public relations officers is essential to ensure accuracy and clarity. When space or editorial changes are necessary, we strongly encourage direct engagement with our Public Relations Officer, so that any adjustments faithfully reflect the intention and integrity of our submitted statements.
We also take this opportunity to extend a sincere apology to our Members, PSV operators, the Bermuda Land Management Corporation (BLMC), our valued stakeholders, and the wider public for any confusion caused by the way our comments were represented in the recent article.
The BTOA is committed to always presenting accurate, detailed, and transparent statements on matters affecting our industry and our community. We remain focused on ensuring that the public, our partners, and our members can trust the information we provide, and we welcome open dialogue with all stakeholders — including the media — to achieve this standard together.
Share Your Views!
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