NTU President Accuses Former Executive of Undercutting Union in Explosive Jazz Transport Dispute

A deepening rift within the National Taxi Union (NTU) has spilled into the public domain, with President Terry Valcin forcefully rejecting criticism from former executive member David “Shakes” Christopher while accusing him of competing against the very organization he once helped lead.

The public fallout follows Christopher’s resignation from the Union, which took immediate effect amid mounting tensions over leadership, transparency and transportation negotiations linked to the 2026 Saint Lucia Jazz and Arts Festival.

In his resignation letter, Christopher claimed he had become increasingly concerned about the NTU’s management, decision-making processes and leadership direction under Valcin, arguing that the situation had undermined transparency, accountability, unity and effective representation within the organization.

However, Valcin has strongly dismissed those accusations, insisting the Union’s operations have remained transparent and collective throughout his tenure. Responding to Christopher’s claim that he could no longer work with the current leadership, Valcin argued that the issue stemmed from the Union being “too transparent,” while maintaining that no meetings or decisions were ever conducted independently by him.

According to Valcin, every major engagement involving the NTU included other executive members, a point he said Christopher and the wider board were fully aware of.

But the dispute escalated sharply when Valcin accused Christopher of acting unethically by allegedly competing against the National Taxi Union while still serving in a leadership position within the organization. Valcin argued that resigning was ultimately “the honorable thing” to do, but said it was unfair for Christopher to now blame the Union’s leadership while allegedly pursuing competing interests.

The controversy appears to center around transportation arrangements connected to the 2026 Saint Lucia Jazz and Arts Festival, amid allegations that another transport entity was being positioned to secure official ground transportation responsibilities for the event.

Addressing claims that the NTU had been undercut during negotiations, Valcin confirmed there was truth to the allegations and defended the Union’s refusal to reduce transportation rates below the government-approved pricing structure established since 2009.

Valcin argued that the NTU has consistently fought to secure fair compensation for its members at a time when drivers continue to face mounting economic pressures, including rising inflation, increased costs for vehicle parts, levies on imports and persistently high fuel prices.

He maintained that lowering rates simply to secure contracts would further hurt operators already struggling to manage operational expenses, while suggesting that efforts to undercut the Union amounted to prioritizing personal gain over collective representation.

Valcin also pointed to portions of Christopher’s resignation letter as evidence that personal interests may have taken precedence over the broader goals of the organization. He added that if he ever intended to openly compete against the NTU in the transportation market, he would first resign from office to avoid any conflict of interest.

Despite the increasingly public war of words, Valcin said he still wished Christopher well moving forward, while noting that leadership positions often attract criticism and attacks from individuals pursuing their own agendas.

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