The National TVDE Movement Association (ANM-TVDE) today expressed its “deep concern” regarding “two recent events” recorded in Madeira, considering that they “seriously affect the mobility sector and undermine the population’s trust in public institutions”.
One of the incidents concerns an alleged “refusal to receive an incident report by Funchal’s PSP,” according to a press release.
“On Saturday, August 23, a TVDE driver was the target of verbal abuse by an Uber driver. When she went to the Funchal Regional Command to file a complaint, the officer on duty refused to register the incident, claiming it was ‘a waste of time since it was a complaint against a stranger.’ He advised the victim to ‘go home and rest and clear her head,'” the statement said.
For ANM-TVDE, “this procedure, in addition to being unjustified, weakens the victim and contravenes the duty of security forces to welcome and protect those seeking support.”
Taking into account the situation described above, “ANM-TVDE demands that the Madeira Regional PSP Command clarify the facts and ensure that any victim is received and protected at any post, avoiding the repetition of similar situations.”
The second “event” that causes “deep concern” to ANM-TVDE concerns the “blockage on the issuance of taxi licenses”.
“At the same time, new taxi trainees are being prevented from completing their certification due to the suspension of the licensing process at IMT-Madeira,” the statement explains, warning that “the lack of capacity for document validation is creating unacceptable delays and harming families who depend on the immediate entry of these professionals into the job market.”
The note ends with an “appeal to taxi associations,” with ANM-TVDE arguing that they “should focus on resolving internal problems, rather than simply competing for space with the TVDE sector.”
“It is essential that they advocate for newly qualified drivers, push for the regularization of licenses, and monitor the regulation of 6- and 8-seater taxis, adjusting prices and rules to real needs. Only in this way can we ensure that the true interests of taxi drivers are heard and respected,” the press note emphasizes.