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Dear Sir,
Firstly let us all thank Gerald Rolph for his persistence in making his complaint after being ripped off by an airport taxi driver (Tuesday's edition). Let's also thank the Bulletin for forwarding the evidence to the Taxi Association - your crusading approach is greatly appreciated. Finally thanks to Julio Nieto for having the good manners in replying on the Association's behalf.

Would you put the following questions to Mr Nieto?
Apart from recuperating the fraudulent fare of 2700 pesetas from the driver and giving him a severe talking to, what other punishment has he received?
What separate punishment has been given over the deception in using false receipts?
Has the taxi cab owner been advised of this over charging?
Has the tax department been advised of the over charging? (I assume that a driver who is dishonest with a passenger will pocket the over charging).
Has this matter been advised to the Police Licensing Authority?
It is telling that on the same page Mr Nieto's Calvia colleague was trying to stop an increase in the number of taxis i.e. protecting the interests of the drivers rather than the passengers. Also telling is Mr Nieto's reference to the “delicate” matter of the driver's forgery. What is delicate about it - put the whole matter into the hands of the Guardia Civil to achieve “no things covered up and swept under the carpet”. One doubts the bona fides of statements like “it is very difficult to monitor all the city's taxi drivers unless passengers tell us, we can never know”. Piffle. The problem is not with the city drivers but at the airport. In my experience over 75% of fares from the airport to my area - Playa de Palma are over charged. In the opposite direction hardly any.

If the Association is having difficulties identifying the occasional bad apple I challenge them to mount an entrapment (sting) operation using foreigners as bait - I'll arrange some volunteer dupes!

Mike Lilico.By e-mail