We want a new boat

“The Atlantic Provider and. the (Trinity Transporter) barge. definitely not working for us. We. tried it for the past three weeks. and it’s not working. The most. we could do is protest for a better. boat, it’s up to government to give. us something because in a matter. of weeks Tobago will be in a dire. state.”. Trucker Sheldon Lezama described. the new cargo transportation. system as a total failure.

“This provider is not providing. for us, Tobago is suffering, we. not getting enough goods across. to efficiently distribute across to. Tobago…It’s a ripple effect; because. of this whole thing we can’t. mind our families.

“What is sad is the Tobago politicians. not doing anything about. it they are just sitting back and. watching everything. It’s taking. three to four days to make one. sailing when you do get there its. taking three to four days to get. back. From a Superfast Galicia. that used to hold 150 trucks now. we have come to a stage where. we can only carry 50 trucks maximum.”. Some of their issues are. there is no passenger area, the. Atlantic Provider is too small. and slow, the Trinity Transporter. barge is unreliable and can cause. permanent damages to vehicles. and construction materials.

Members from the TT Chamber. of Industry and Commerce, Tobago. Division and the head of. the Truckers and Traders Association. Horace Amede were given. a tour of the Atlantic Provider to. see the capabilities of the vessel. which they said was not impressive.

David Wong member of the. Chamber of Industry and Commerce. said, “It’s nonsense, it’s. takes too long to get here. They. (owner of the vessel) blames the. port for keeping the vessel back. from sailing. Let the port say why. the boat gets in the port at 4 am. and is not allowed to dock till. 6.30 am.

“Why does it have to start loading. at 10 am why can’t it (Atlantic. Provider) start loading at 1 pm. and leave 3 pm.They say they. can reach there (Tobago) in five. hours so if they leave there at 3. pm they will be here at 8 pm. If. this happens the truckers can go. back to a normal sane lifestyle. where they get to work at 6 am. in Port-of-Spain; the truckers can. do what work they have to do get. back to the port and get on the. provider at 1 pm and be back in. Tobago by 7 pm.”. Amede said the attempts of the. owner to convince truckers to. accept the vessel is useless, “from. the executive stand point we cannot. tell the drivers to take it because. they are not accustomed to. these problems,” he said.

.