By Chernor Alimamy Kamara
The General Manager of the Great Scarcies and Mahera Ferry Company Alusine Daramy has given an update on the increment on the ferry fares that have been announced.
Daramy said the increase in fares was due to the pump price of fuel going up by 20 percent. He said they held a consultative meeting with the Minister of Transport and Aviation and the Minister of Trade and agreed that they should also work within a certain price, taking into consideration they would not want to operate in a way that they cannot purchase spare parts for the ferries. ‘’So we also do an increase of our prices,’’ he said. He said the second class seating that used to be Le 9,000 is now Le 11,000. First-class tickets increased from Le 18,000 to Le 21,000. The ticket cost for an SUV is now Le 95,000 from Le 80,000. The car ticket now costs Le 75, 000, the last price being Le.62, 000.
Daramy said they still maintain their old tradition of taking students in uniform, disabled, and children below ten years free of charge. He said this is the first time they have increased fares with no one raising concern yet, believing people are aware of the Global crisis. He made reference to the assurances given by the Transport Minister, that should the situation between Russia and Ukraine be resolved there would a reversal.
He said the operations of the ferry are improving every day because they always maintenance their ferries and can only do that with money.
Santigie Bangura a passenger who always uses the ferry as a means of transportation said the increase in fares is disheartening, saying there are people who find it difficult to afford such. He said they would not blame the management for the increase in ferry fare, noting that it is due to the increment of the pump price at the global stage. ‘’The most important thing in all of this, the speed of the ferry has improved greatly. We used to take close to an hour or two before reaching our destination, but we can now just spend a maximum of thirty minutes to reach our destination,’’ he said.
Adama Mansaray who commutes using the ferry said the change in fares is affecting them as business people. She said they are not making much, but takes courage at the thought that the increase in the pump price of fuel could be temporary.
Another passenger Mustapha Conteh has a different view. ‘’ Though at the same time management has the right to increase the ferry fare because everyone is doing business to make a profit, it is the mandate of government to have subsidized to avoid fuel price increase, but we can survive it,’’ he said.
Copyright © Politico Online 07/03/22)
