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kobo
United Kingdom
7765 Posts |
 Posted - 25 Mar 2014 : 04:22:53
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  All Ferries In The Gambia Have Been Grounded!!
All ferries at the Banjul ports have been grounded due to mechanical problems, the Freedom Newspaper can report. This latest development has rendered the port's financial basket to dry. There is no movement of ferries at this hour. The regime lacks money to repair the grounded ferries.
Meanwhile, thousands of travelers are struggling to board small canoes to Barra and Banjul. The canoes are not sea safety. Some of the boats occasionally sang in the sea while ferrying passengers between Banjul and Barra. In addition, there are limited life jackets available to passengers....
Source: Freedom Online News for Full Story |
Edited by - kobo on 25 Mar 2014 04:31:00 |
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kobo
United Kingdom
7765 Posts |
Posted - 26 Mar 2014 : 21:57:17
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1.Ferry Johe to resume operations soon
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Maintenance works on the Johe Ferry that has been going for more than a month now is at an advanced stage and there are plans to release it to resume normal routine service in the next two weeks, the general manager of Banjul Shipyard told the Daily Observer Tuesday.
The Johe Ferry, it would be recalled, was in January, docked by The Gambia Ports Authority (GPA) for four-week intensive maintenance to enhance safety at the Banjul-Barra crossing point. The maintenance work is being carried out by experts from one of the ship building companies in China, in collaboration with the staff of GPA. Experts have been rehabilitating both its underwater system and the installation of brand engines. Upon completion, it is expected to give the Johe ferry a new look, thus guaranteeing the safety of the thousands of passengers who cross the point daily....
Full report Daily Observer News
2. Ferry maintenance
It is indeed a welcome development that the GPA is putting the ferries aside for thorough maintenance. We know this might be inconvenient particularly taking into account the volume of trade on the Banjul-Barra ferry crossing, but the safety of people should be the prime concern of all and sundry.....Daily Observer Full Editorial |
Edited by - kobo on 27 Mar 2014 02:00:49 |
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kobo
United Kingdom
7765 Posts |
Posted - 31 Mar 2014 : 04:21:11
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Commuters lament the lack of safety of boats
Published on Saturday, 29 March 2014 | Written by Saikou Suwareh Jabai
Passengers who use the Banjul – Barra crossing continue toexpress their concerns and worries regarding the congestion, overloading and lack of adequate and proper life jackets in these boats. As it is sometimes the only available means of transportation when the ferries undergo maintenance, which is quite often now, the commuters who live or have some business to do on either side of the banks have no options other than the boats to cross.
It is in the face of poor ferry services, which sometimes result in no service at all in a whole day, and the lack of a suitable alternative which lead to the increasing demand for boats to cross and which also calls into question the issue of safety.
The passengers are complaining about safety and the cost. Sheikh Goree Sallah, a commuter who was crossing from Banjul to Nuimi, said they have always been complaining about the issue of safety in boats, but their concerns are not heeded. “I only hope that the authorities are not waiting for a disaster before they would address the issue of safety on these boats,” asked Sallah.
Mariama Secka, a student who comes to school in Banjul, on board the boats, said it is very expensive to cross by boat as one pays D45 just for one way and which amounts to D90 every day. “Sometimes I don’t go to school when the ferry is off-service because of the lack of fares,” she revealed. She also lamented the overloading and squeezing in the boat which sometimes turn her uniform dirty as well as the inadequate life and poor quality of the life jackets. “The only advantage of the boats is that they are faster than the ferries. If I am on exams, I would prefer boarding a boat to waiting for the ferry to take hours on the river and thus make me miss my paper,” said Ms. Secka.
Another woman passenger also complained about the life jackets and said that because they are not enough, the boat owners often distribute them to the men who sit on the sides. “We the women are asked to sit inside and without life jackets to put on. Is this safe?” she asked.
Still pursuing the issue of safety on the Banjul-Barra crossing, this reporter approached the Ferry Services under the Gambia Ports Authority (GPA) in order to talk to concern officials regarding the state of the ferries and the complaints of passengers. When approached, Mr. Omar Touray, the PRO of the Ferry Services, said he is not the right person to talk to the press and therefore directed this reporter to the Director of Ferry Services, Mr. Jerreh Jammeh, who also said they are not allowed to talk to the press.
Efforts would be made to talk to the senior management of the GPA to convey the concerns of the passengers who use the ferry and get their feedback on the situation of the ferries.
Foroyaa Burning Issues News |
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toubab1020
12306 Posts |
Posted - 31 Mar 2014 : 23:11:10
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" Mr. Omar Touray, the PRO of the Ferry Services, said he is not the right person to talk to the press and therefore directed this reporter to the Director of Ferry Services, Mr. Jerreh Jammeh, who also said they are not allowed to talk to the press."
PRO means, PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER, Do not the press deciminate information to the public on a wider base than those unfortunates trying to cross the river Gambia? |
"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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GPA: Ferries
