(Extract from the Jamaica Observer)
Friday, September 18, 2009
A new ferry service linking the Caribbean is earmarked to be launched at the end of next month. Owned and operated by BEDY Oceanlines, this latest attempt at regional transportation will have its inaugural launch on October 20.
This service will focus more on the Eastern Caribbean taking in Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, St Lucia, St Vincent and Grenada. The plan is to add more islands as it becomes more established. According to BEDY Oceanlines, the service will be offered daily with two bases: one in St Vincent responsible for the St Vincent to Barbados and St Lucia routes, the other in Grenada which will service the Grenada to Trinidad and Barbados route.
One of the main hindrances to the effectiveness of the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME) has been a viable and workable regional transportation system. BWIA, Air Jamaica, LIAT, and Caribbean Star have all failed to effectively link the region. Air Jamaica's EC Express showed some promise but was stymied by regional politics and lack of support.
It costs almost as much to go to New York or London and takes about the same time as it does to travel across the region. Compounding matters further is having to wait for hours for connecting flights, thus making air travel around the region both costly and arduous. Many inter-island air travellers bemoan the decision taken to restrict baggage on aircraft and cite it as yet another reason why flying across the region is such an exasperating affair.
This new ferry service aims to address some of these problems. Fares will come in at around US$150 (inclusive of relevant government taxes) round trip and travellers will not be restricted to just one piece of luggage. They will be allowed to carry two pieces weighing 60 pounds. This will make ferry prices a third of the price of a standard inter-island air ticket. The journey will be made as comfortable as possible and will cater to families as well as business travellers. It is also intended to boost intra-island trade.
The ferry service will require the relevant infrastructure and it is vitally important that the island states recognise this and take measures to ensure that this becomes a reality. Barbadian businessman Ralph "Bizzy" Williams of Williams Industries, speaking last week at the Barbados Hilton at a regional trade meeting, drew attention to this issue:
"I have been saying for a long time that a ferry service can only be successful if we have the infrastructure put in place to handle it. So in other words, the ferry has to be able to come into Barbados, dock and offload and reload within half an hour.
"Now if a Vincentian wants to come with a truck loaded with fresh produce to Barbados on this ferry, can he drive off here and go deliver his produce to his various outlets in Barbados? No! That is the sort of infrastructure that needs to be put in place."
Williams said that all too often red tape and stifling bureaucracy kills business activity in the Caribbean and that this should not be allowed to happen with the new ferry service.
"So we want a situation set up, and the politicians need to put this in their vision, and get it done where we can produce a metal building in Barbados, put it on one of our trucks, ship it to St Vincent, deliver it to our customer there, load the truck with fresh produce, drive back onto a ferry, come to Barbados, drive off the truck and sell the produce. That way, you could see a trade developing, but not if you are going to have all of the red tape that is involved in that sort of transaction.''
The CEO of BEDY Ocean Lines Benjamin Ross said that the vessels will have a seating capacity of between 260 and 300 respectively, and the duration of a trip from each country will range between one and a half hours to three and a half hours.
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