The travelling public planning to visit or leave Montserrat during this peak season are invited to contact the Access Division to share their travel itinerary.
Premier Reuben T. Meade made the request in a radio press conference on ZJB on Thursday morning.
The premier, whose office has responsibility for access, said there has been no progress on the goal to contract a ferry service for the December festival season and plans for a March ferry are uncertain.
The premier, who has been in office for two months said there are several internal issues left by the previous MCAP Government which have made the government’s financial situation untenable and has further hampered their ability to procure short-term ferry service.
As he’d stated the week prior, new international maritime rules have made it more difficult to find a ferry company already compliant or willing to comply with the more stringent rules.
He said the ferries which run between St. Maarten and Anguilla are deemed unfit for our waters due to the rough seas especially moving through Yellow Hole. Larger vessels, similar to the Jaden Sun either do not wish to make the investment to bring their vessels up to the international code or are otherwise engaged. Premier Meade also added that other certified vessels are financially out of reach or are unable to turnaround a vessel for the short contracted period.
The premier urged travellers to reach out to the Access Division to share their schedules to ensure that their is adequate flights to meet the demand. He said in some cases, both SVG Air and FlyMontserrat have put on additional flights but then they come to Montserrat with only three or four passengers.
Travellers should also be aware that if bringing additional luggage, they may not be able to get them on their flight due to weight restrictions and passenger limits.
All are asked to call or WhatsApp 664-392-3600 to reach the Access Division.
Passengers should also reconfirm their travel plans with the local airlines.
When asked if a ferry service would be in place for the St. Patrick’s Festival in March, Premier Meade declined to confirm this would be the case and said he planned to meet face-to-face with promoters already planning for the island’s largest festival. “I’ve learnt my lesson and can’t commit,” Meade said.
Meade explained that financial mismanagement by previous the administration is to be blamed for current shortfalls. He added that their are lawsuits that the government is liable for and their refusal to pay out on a two million dollar settlement has now ballooned to over eight million. He also said the government will also need to find funds to continue the port project, adding that proper project management needs to be in place before any other projects are undertaken as the current situation leaves them open to litigation.
He also shared that the previous government gutted the budgets of the ministries to cover salary increases, which has left them financially depleted and unable to meet their needs. The search is on, he added to find more money to help the ministries meet their commitments.
