By ANGELO ARMBRISTER

Freeport News Reporter

The Grand Bahama Taxi Union this month will be honouring 20 of its memmonth who have made invaluable contributions to not just the union but the industry with their outstanding work as part of its 47th anniversary celebrations.

Union officials yesterday outlined plans for the anniversary celebrations during a press conference at the union's headquarters.

GB Taxi Union President Kenneth Woodside said that on May 17 the union will be celebrating its anniversary in grand style with an honorary and anniversary banquet at the union hall beginning at 7 p.m.

"This year 20 members will be made honourary members," he said, adding that it is one of the highest degrees of honour in the organization.

Noting that the theme for the event, which will be held under the patronage of the union's past presidents, is "Give Me My Flowers While I'm Alive." Woodside said that is the intention of the event, which is long overdue and well deserved.

Among the honorees are two men who are not taxi drivers but have made significant contributions to the advancement of taxi drivers in Grand Bahama: the Late Edward St. George and Sir Albert Miller.

Woodside said both men were instrumental in helping the union to acquire its present headquarters as well as granting them service entry to the harbour and airport.

Geralene Dean, the union's recording secretary, who co-chaired the organizing committee, explained that they opened the month with a church service at Upper Zion in Pinders Point, where members worshiped with one of the union's past presidents, Michael Pinder.

She added that they had a number of fund-raising activities planned including a walk-a-thon, which had to be cancelled when consideration of the island's slow economy was taken into account.

"We are still having our membership social on Thursday, May 15 for taxi drivers and their loved ones and our Dominos tournament," she said.

Speaking to the strides the union has made throughout the years, Dean said that she was so proud of the progress women have made in terms of equality in the business.

Dean reflected on a story she was told by one of the first female taxi drivers in Grand Bahama, honoree Florina Laing, who shared her experiences coming up in the industry.

"It was difficult for women entering this profession and those that did were called prostitutes because it was very uncommon for a woman to drive a taxi," she said. "Some of these women we will be honouring are some of the first to drive a taxi for a living."

Woodside said that they are looking forward to the support of the community in celebrating this milestone.

Woodside said that the Grand Bahama Public Service Drivers and Allied Workers Union, now known as the Grand Bahama Taxi Union, stands as a shining example of an organization that reflects the Bahamian way of life.

"Its members have and still are conquering life's handicap of poverty and struggles to help the less fortunate of the community," he said. "It was in the early 60s that a group of dedicated men gathered together – through the assistance of Sir Clifford Darling, the then Taxi Union President in New Providence — to help to form the Grand Bahama Public Service Drivers and Allied Workers Union."

The body was formed at the Star Hotel in West End Grand Bahama by founding members Addison Culmer, Elon 'Sonny' Martin, John Papaul and Onward Jones.