Mayor urged to suspend horse and carriage ban
Date Posted: Wednesday, April 09, 2008Author: Bermuda Network News
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Junior Minister of Tourism and Transport Senator Wayne CAines has called for the Mayor of Hamilton to suspend his decision to ban horse and carriage rides from Harbour Nights.
Sen Caines said yesterday that senior officials at The Ministry of Tourism and Transport are concerned that Mayor Sutherland Madeiros has overstepped his authority.
He said: “While the Mayor obviously has wide discretion within the city limits, it is the Public Service Vehicles Licensing Board which is responsible for public service vehicles countrywide – and that legislative oversight includes horse drawn carriages.
“The Public Service Vehicles Licensing Board was not consulted before the Mayor’s public statements yesterday. The Transport Control Department was also not consulted.
“Today I will send a letter to the Mayor strongly urging him to temporarily suspend his decision and immediately consult with the Licensing Board. A prudent consultative process will ensure that the decision is not made emotionally, but instead handled with an eye on the greater good of all involved.”
He added: “Of course it would be irresponsible to speculate on the results of this consultative process before it even begins, but I am confident that if it is allowed to unfold prudently we will have a reasoned conclusion when all the discussion is complete.”
The decision to ban horses and carriages from Harbour Nights comes after more than 20 people were injured during an incident at the opening Harbour Nights event of 2007.