The president of the Association of Dominican Taxi Drivers in New York, Pedro Aguirre, revealed that 10 Creole taxi drivers living in that city of the United States have died of coronavirus and that 1,500 are infected.
He called on the authorities to take these workers into account, because they are providing the service to medical personnel and the elderly, risking their lives. He specified that there are more than 50,000 Dominican taxi drivers who work in that city, and help with the economy.
“Unfortunately, we were surprised, because we were working and we were mounting people without realizing that they were infected,” he said.
Aguirre spoke in a virtual dialogue with the Dominican diaspora held by former President Leonel Fernández, in which professionals and representatives from various economic areas narrate how the pandemic has impacted the Dominican community.
He asked that taxi drivers be included in unemployment assistance programs. He also requested an amnesty for the payment of fines. “We are in a very delicate situation,” he emphasized.
He argued that work has increased because people are afraid of mass transportation and do not want to ride the train or buses.
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