Dear Editor:
FERRYBOATS SAFETY
As the evenings grow shorter and darker many travellers are once again becoming concerned about safety of the last returning ferry boats on these dark nights. When that last ferry boat leaves Marigot harbour it is usually jammed to capacity with passengers scrambling to get home. I know, I’ve been there! In the event of a problem who is going to help those people? All the other crews have tied up and gone home. Their day is over. If that last ferry encounters a problem how long will it be before help reaches them? It may be wise to have the rescue facilities nearer to where the people are. Response from Sandy Ground an hour or so later will be much too late, they will be recovering bodies rather than saving lives. Some of our visitors have never been on a boat, and others do not like boats anyway. One old man said he’d die here before returning on the ferry (he was able to fly back to St. Maarten). It would be awful if something like the “Christina” disaster happened to us here in Anguilla. Some travellers are now spending the night in St. Martin and so adding to the cost of getting to their final destination. Not a good tourism move! Maybe the Tourism Department could also check into this matter.
Can anything be done to correct this situation?
Thank you.
V. Berry
