Tourism Minister Ernest Hilaire has insisted that the Government of Saint Lucia has not approved, sanctioned or encouraged Uber to operate on the island, amid mounting public debate over the ride-hailing company’s recent launch.

“I want to … make it very clear that contrary to what you’ve been hearing, reading from various sources, that the government of Saint Lucia has not in any way approved, sanctioned, or encouraged Uber to operate any service in Saint Lucia,” he said at Monday’s pre-Cabinet press briefing.

Uber’s entry into the local market last week has sparked intense discussion, with some residents welcoming the additional transportation option while others warn that the service could “destroy the local taxi industry”.

Much of that criticism has been directed at the government, but Hilaire has pushed back strongly against suggestions that the administration facilitated or approved Uber’s entry into the market.

He explained that Uber first contacted the government last December, expressing interest in operating locally. At the time, the company described itself as a technology platform offering transportation services from point A to point B. Government officials, Hilaire said, informed Uber that its proposal would be reviewed and that discussions would be required before any decision could be made.

Uber later sent a second letter indicating that there was strong interest from local taxi associations and individual drivers. Despite that, Hilaire said, the government maintained that consultations with stakeholders were still necessary.

“So they were going to move ahead,” Hilaire explained. “We again told them that we would want to discuss the matter with the stakeholders and with Uber itself.”

Hilaire said the government was notified last weekend that Uber intended to launch its service the following day.

“We indicated to them that we were planning to meet with them to discuss the matter in detail and that they should not proceed,” Hilaire said, adding that meetings had already been scheduled with both Uber and the National Taxi Union to address the issue.

Hilaire described Uber’s move as premature.

“I think Uber launched their service prematurely,” Hilaire said. “And I’m not saying prematurely meaning that they would have been given approval. Prematurely from the point of view that we indicated to them that we’d want to discuss their interest to operate in Saint Lucia because they wrote to us.”

He stressed that national procedures must be respected, particularly when foreign companies seek to establish operations locally.

“If you say, I want to come to our country to set up a business, and we say to you, ‘well, let’s go through the process’,… you need to respect national processes,” the minister said. “We’re going to talk to our stakeholders. We’re going to review it, and we’ll have discussions.”

Hilaire confirmed that meetings with Uber representatives and the taxi union are scheduled for this week, after which the government is expected to outline its position on the way forward.