A group of Nassau taxi-drivers, shocked by the brutal killing of a popular colleague, have decided not to take young black men as passengers from Nassau International Airport after nightfall.
The “racial profiling” move by the drivers – themselves all black – follows horrific disclosures about ihe murder of 42-year-old bachelor Christoph Brown, whose burnt-out cab and scorched body were found off a bush road last week.
The ban, to come into effect immediately, means black men between 17 and 40 will not be taken as fares from the airport after 6pm by many drivers.
“We need to protect ourselves,” a driver told The Tribune last night. “Many of us have bccome paranoid about this situation.
Some of us have been running an unofficial ban on young black male passengers for some time. But, after this killing, we have decided to impose a proper ban its an act of self-protection.”
The brutal killing of Mr Brown last week sent shock waves through the cab-driving fraternity. They now believe he was strangled off a track near Marigold Farm – possibly by a passenger he picked up at the airport. Mr Brown was last seen by colleagues leaving the airport at about 6pm.
“Chris was a quiet, studious guy who was very learned in many areas and an intelligent man to talk to. It seems to us that he was, in effect, executed by someone, possibly in the course of theft.”
Mr Brown, a certified accountant who drove his van-cab part-time to supplement his income, was described by one colleague as “just a great guy who was liked by everyone.” He enjoyed studying, but also followed his father Ernest’s example by driving taxis.
The driver added: “The way Chris was killed has made us all worried. There were signs that he had been strangled. Then whoever killed him set fire to his body and his cab in an attempt to destroy evidence.”
Drivers say young black criminals are using the airport to pose as arriving passengers. Several times over the years, cab-drivers have been killed by their passengers, said one.
The villains saw cab-drivers as easy targets because they carry money and are effectively “trapped” in their vehicles, especially if a passenger is armed.
Once they reach isolated areas, such as bush roads, they become extremely vulnerable, particularly as the passenger is invariably behind the driver and able to control the situation.
“A large number of us have now decided to ban all black male passengers between the ages of 17 and 40 after 6pm,” said the driver.
“This is not an official move, but we have the right to say who gets into our cabs and that’s what we’re going to do. We have reason to believe Chris’s killer was black.
“Some will say it’s racial discrimination, but we prefer to call it racial profiling. The fact is that all of us imposing this ban are black, and white men don’t usually kill cab-drivers.
“In addition, we don’t see older black men or black women as a problem. However, if we need to protect ourselves, we shall.”
More drivers are also considering carrying weapons in their cabs, even though it is not officially permitted.
“I intend to carry an ice-pick from now on,” said one. “This ban will be introduced subtly, but drivers are obviously very serious about it.”
Asked if dreadlocks were seen as another discriminatory factor, he said: “Rastas are generally peace-loving people. Locks are not necessarily a problem.”
On Saturday, several taxi-drivers are expected to attend Mr Brown’s funeral at Golden Gates Assembly Church.
Source: The Tribune
