No idea when crisis will end

“Bay Ferries maintenance contract was cancelled and millions of dollars were saved. We ask and our members asked, ‘To whose benefit?’” Speaking to the Joint Select Committee on Land and Physical Infrastructure yesterday on the procurement of the MV Cabo Star and Ocean Flower 2 and the operations of the Port of Port of Spain, Birchwood-James thanked Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley for his apology made on Monday to the people of Tobago for the current crisis situation they are experiencing in relation to the passenger ferry service. “The fast ferry is no longer fast,” she said.

On the cancellation of Bay Ferries contract which was replaced by Magellan Services Limited with no maintenance component, Birchwood-James said, “There lies the problems with the ferry.” The ferry, she said, could not leave the Tobago yesterday morning as scheduled because of maintenance problems. Passengers then flocked to the Caribbean Airlines Limited (CAL) ticketing counter to see if they could get seats to travel to Trinidad.

The Superfast Galicia, she said, departed with no replacement, there were conflicting testimonies at the JSC from all parties involved and evidence of many episodes of bad corporate governance.

“Public servants, past and present ministers in questioning want to be politically correct when questioned. No real answers. We are yet to hear words that they have Tobago and Tobagonians best interest at heart,” she said.