Premier and Minister of Finance Joseph Farrell said Friday that there are no plans to increase the number of cargo trips that are contracted between Montserrat and Antigua.
Since the end of September when the regular ferry service contract ended, the government contracted the Typhoon Express to provide cargo service between the islands. Local business owners have said the service has not been weekly as initially announced. This they say is inadequate and costly as there are now new fees attached to shipping cargo on the boat. Local airlines are also now accepting cargo at a additional costs.
Farrell said his ministry is aware of the concerns for additional shipping days. However, the reality is that there is no demand based on the figures. The minister said it cost the government about $9000 for the service but they have only collected around $900 from local businesses. They will remain with a fortnightly service for the foreseeable future.
