Hon Paul Lewis
Friday, April 5, 2024
Recently, an announcement was made by the Premier of Montserrat of a $17 million, one year ferry service extension. This was possibly being done at the expense of cutting critically important public services.
This government most certainly had enough time, after signing the initial five-month, EC$8 million ferry contract, to have started and completed the process of securing a better value for money ferry service. But instead, what they did was opt for a whopping $17 million dollars ferry extension, simply because it is an election year! This is inexcusable!
I am putting it to the government, that there was an opportunity, if they had bothered to do the work that was required, to secure a quality ferry that met the safety standards, for far less than the $17 million they agreed to.
Now, fellow citizens, the calamity of such a hasty decision by this government is now backfiring and causing them deep embarrassment, as no more than week after announcing the 17 million dollar one-year ferry extension, this same government is now at risk of not delivering on its promise!
(You can listen to the full audio version below)
We are being made to understand that the ferry service extension is on hold, while the government is running around, chasing its own tail, having frantic meetings to save face. What an embarrassment and sorry excuse for Leadership!
Let me remind you fellow citizens, that it was this MCAP Administration, who, during Covid, stopped the ring-fenced funding that provided a guaranteed ferry service that the previous PDM Administration left in place for the benefit of you the people of Montserrat. MCAP did this, claiming falsely to you, that they did it to save money!
Ironically, this very same MCAP Administration that said it stopped the ferry contract to save money, did not save any money by taking this action at all. They misled you!
Furthermore, the comedy of this MCAP Leadership is that they then contracted a ferry for five months at the staggering cost of EC$8 million!! When the previous PDM Administration contracted a ferry for 12 full months – an entire year – at guess how much ladies and gentlemen? The very same EC$8 million that they paid for a 5-month service. That is what MCAP calls astute leadership! Costing us money and misleading us about cost savings!
Instead of saving, MCAP has wasted money!
At the end of the 5-month, EC$8 million ferry service, it got even worst when they announced a one-year extension for a mind-blowing 17 million dollars!
The ferry operator must have felt like he won the lottery jackpot under this MCAP regime!
But meanwhile, for you the people, where are your winnings! What has this government done to put a smile on your face! They ensured the ferry service provider was winning, while you the people and businesses here in Montserrat continue to suffer in MCAP’s non-existent economy!
What is the root cause of this confusion over stopping or continuing the ferry service? We demand to know!
Is it because the $17 million, plus the $8 million for five months could buy the same ferry three times over?
Clearly there was no value for money being received for the people of Montserrat.
Furthermore, is it because to pay $17 million dollars for a ferry service, government would have had to make large cuts in every Ministry, leaving the people without critically important services in an election year?
How will this ferry debacle affect the anticipated 2024/2025 budget?
The people need to know! In fact, the people demand to know!
