Public Statement – Bassam Al-Rawi Taxi Licence Status

Thursday, March 2, 2017 (Halifax, NS) – The recent Nova Scotia Provincial Court decision dealing with the case of former taxi driver Bassam Al-Rawi is one the municipality takes quite seriously.

Paramount for the municipality is ensuring public safety while citizens are travelling in municipal taxis. To that end, a full review is now underway into the status of Mr. Al-Rawi’s licensing privileges.

On May 27, 2015, the municipal taxi licensing office suspended Mr. Al-Rawi’s licence. This decision was overturned in August, 2015 by the municipal Appeals Standing Committee. The standing committee attached two conditions to Mr. Al-Rawi’s licence. He was only permitted to drive between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., and he was also required to have a camera installed in his vehicle.

However, in September 2015, Mr. Al-Rawi was unable to meet a requirement of the Taxi and Limousine By-Law (T-1000), resulting in his licence being deemed “non-operational”. Specifically, Mr. Al-Rawi was unable to provide the municipality’s taxi licensing office with a business name for whom he would be driving. Therefore he is not permitted to operate a taxi.

It should be noted this by-law requirement is in place for all taxi vehicles.

Mr. Al-Rawi’s taxi licences have been non-operational since that time.

When Mr. Al-Rawi’s taxi licences were originally suspended on May 27, 2015, he received a letter from the taxi licensing office, indicating his licence privileges would be reviewed at the conclusion of the criminal proceedings. Municipal staff is now undertaking that review.

Source: Release