RT ferry terminal fiasco an int’l embarrassment
Opposition Leader, Marlon Penn said the events that occurred last Saturday with passengers at the Road Town Ferry terminal were a clear example of a lack of leadership on the part of the government of the BVI.
He further described the chaos that ensued upon international ferry passengers as an embarrassment to the BVI as a tourist destination.
“It speaks to us — from a person on the outside looking in — that we’re not prepared, we’re not ready,” Penn said while speaking on the ‘NDP Radio’ talk show hosted last night.
Penn said hard-working public servants should not be blamed for what took place.
“We need to put clear procedures and policies and plans in place to streamline how we go through,” he said.
He suggested that experts that deal with operations management should be consulted on the way forward to resolve the issue.
The Opposition Leader also questioned whether government will continue with its current 50-person-per-day limit on arrivals into the territory through the Road Town seaport.
The Road Town terminal has traditionally been the main port of call for the territory.
In a release issued this week, the BVI Ports Authority reminded residents that “only one daily round-trip ferry service … with a maximum of 50 passengers per trip is permitted for “this initial period”.
Penn argued that the territory has to get its act together and must find a way to get persons into the BVI safely so that all the businesses that depend on the tourism industry can be able to survive.
He said operators of private boats have been complaining that they have not been given an opportunity to bring persons in smaller amounts in an effort to help alleviate the situation.
“It speaks to us — from a person on the outside looking in — that we’re not prepared, we’re not ready,” Penn said while speaking on the ‘NDP Radio’ talk show hosted last night.
Penn said hard-working public servants should not be blamed for what took place.
“We need to put clear procedures and policies and plans in place to streamline how we go through,” he said.
He suggested that experts that deal with operations management should be consulted on the way forward to resolve the issue.
The Opposition Leader also questioned whether government will continue with its current 50-person-per-day limit on arrivals into the territory through the Road Town seaport.
The Road Town terminal has traditionally been the main port of call for the territory.
In a release issued this week, the BVI Ports Authority reminded residents that “only one daily round-trip ferry service … with a maximum of 50 passengers per trip is permitted for “this initial period”.
Penn argued that the territory has to get its act together and must find a way to get persons into the BVI safely so that all the businesses that depend on the tourism industry can be able to survive.
He said operators of private boats have been complaining that they have not been given an opportunity to bring persons in smaller amounts in an effort to help alleviate the situation.
