SOME taxi drivers will be exempted from wearing hats or keeping beards under the new Public Service Vehicle Code of Conduct.
The Fiji Taxi Union said drivers with religious beliefs could wear hats or keep beards, which should be trimmed neatly.
FTU general secretary, Rishi Ram said, "Only drivers who believe in Sikhism or Islam are pardoned from certain things in the code."
"Taxidrivers who believe in Sikhism can wear their turbans and keep beards, which should be neatly trimmed," he said.
"And drivers who follow the Islam religion can wear their religious hats and keep neatly trimmed beards also while driving taxis."
"It's generally seen that people believing in Sikhism very neatly wear their turbans and keep their beards, and that's how it should be."
Mr Ram said drivers were prohibited under the code of conduct from wearing rubber bands or bangles on their hands.
But, he said, taxidrivers could wear sunglasses while driving as it protected their eyes from the sun.
He said taxidrivers should maintain neatness in their appearance at all times when they were behind the steering wheels.
"I urge all taxidrivers to pull up their socks and improve their dressing as the new code of conduct comes into force," he said.
"Drivers who don't follow the code of conduct will be fined $50 for the first booking, $50 for the second booking and their licence will be cancelled for one year if they are booked the third time."
"As such, drivers should change their old habits and keep up with the changes that are taking place as far as dressing is concerned."
Mr Ram said the union had also given 30 sets of uniforms to its members in Lautoka who operate from the Queens Wharf.
"We want them to be neatly dressed when cruise liners berth because their dressing would create a good image of our country in the eyes of tourists," he said.
http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=166129
The Fiji Taxi Union said drivers with religious beliefs could wear hats or keep beards, which should be trimmed neatly.
FTU general secretary, Rishi Ram said, "Only drivers who believe in Sikhism or Islam are pardoned from certain things in the code."
"Taxidrivers who believe in Sikhism can wear their turbans and keep beards, which should be neatly trimmed," he said.
"And drivers who follow the Islam religion can wear their religious hats and keep neatly trimmed beards also while driving taxis."
"It's generally seen that people believing in Sikhism very neatly wear their turbans and keep their beards, and that's how it should be."
Mr Ram said drivers were prohibited under the code of conduct from wearing rubber bands or bangles on their hands.
But, he said, taxidrivers could wear sunglasses while driving as it protected their eyes from the sun.
He said taxidrivers should maintain neatness in their appearance at all times when they were behind the steering wheels.
"I urge all taxidrivers to pull up their socks and improve their dressing as the new code of conduct comes into force," he said.
"Drivers who don't follow the code of conduct will be fined $50 for the first booking, $50 for the second booking and their licence will be cancelled for one year if they are booked the third time."
"As such, drivers should change their old habits and keep up with the changes that are taking place as far as dressing is concerned."
Mr Ram said the union had also given 30 sets of uniforms to its members in Lautoka who operate from the Queens Wharf.
"We want them to be neatly dressed when cruise liners berth because their dressing would create a good image of our country in the eyes of tourists," he said.
http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=166129
