Kukeh,
I don't know if you know this but there is nothing currently hindering any private individual or consortium from entering the ferry transport sector in Gambia. Especially those private businessmen and women who are close to Yahya. There is a reason why they have avoided it up to now.
When we speak of Gambia Kukeh, the banal cost/benefit calculus of generic economics DOES NOT APPLY.
Haruna.
-----Original Message-----
From: Malanding Jaiteh <[log in to unmask]>
To: GAMBIA-L <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sat, Mar 16, 2013 4:49 pm
Subject: Re: [G_L] Saving the Gambia's ferry service
Joe,
The Gambia's in a unique place. When it comes to transportation, what is in the Gambia is also in Senegal. We are an island in Senegal. Senegalese need the crossings and we can employ folks, earn foreign exchange while providing the services.
As for the role of government, perhaps I am a naive less-government guy but I sincerely believe in the ability of the private sector when it comes to operating the ferry crossings.
Yes, both governments have little to show for when it comes to running competent public institutions but that makes it even more compelling we try something different.
Malanding
Sent from my iPad
On Mar 16, 2013, at 2:20 PM, Joe Joe <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Malanding, both Senegal and Gambia cannot handle or manage their own internal transportation issues, how do you expect them to handle anything across their borders? For fifty years, transportation between two two countries have been the same because both governments are not interested in smooth operation of anything. Until we have a responsible government in the Gambia, not much will change. What you call private sector in the Gambia is Yaya laundering stolen and drug funds to line up his people to play the part of private sector. Look at all crossings between the two countries and show me where one crossing is functional (on both sides)? Privatization in Gambia leads to nothing but more rates to the poor and malfunction and we need to be mindful what we ask for. After all you know about Gambia, you seem to weight on the side that we have a functioning government. We do not. Senegal wants to get stuff on the cheap or next to nothing and the Government in the Gambia is about getting cash in the coffers of Yaya Jammeh and not provide service. Where Yaya's interests are, are in his toys and each one of them is functioning. Economic cooperation between African countries will continue to be a dream as long as these countries cannot even maintain the bare minimum within their own boarders. The amount we invested in Ferries since independence would have provided us functioning bridges the last forty years. Regarding telecommunications and electricity within these two countries, what is their track record again? The rates are ridiculous for their citizens and service poor. The grass is not greener on the side of Senegal either. Have you driven on their roads leading to Gambia, Guinea B, Guinea C, Mali? Horrible. Mauritania and Senegal still use an antiquated ferry system for a 500 meters crossing. On the Djamma side you can forget it. It is just recently Senegal built the stretch between St. Louis and Rosso while the Mauritanian side is littered with totaled vehicles with countless dead each week. And this is what mushrooms through out the transportation web in Africa. Between Mauritania and Mali, same thing and the problems start internally and spills over the other side. This is no accident. I understand yours is wish for these governments, where as mine is looking at the reality of the situation and the political will with those that created the situation.
Joe
Date: Sat, 16 Mar 2013 13:06:07 -0400
From: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [G_L] Saving the Gambia's ferry service
To: [log in to unmask]
Joe, I think we can manage river transport in The Gambia the same way we handle telecoms. The private sector can can do it and we have to believe that. Why bring in Senegal? First Senegal needs and uses the crossings as much as Gambians. In fact much of the high-value traffic (trucks) was dominated by Senegalese business. With a joint partnership no one partner will be allowed to raise rates or taxes unilaterally. One reason the ferry service is dying is the result of Senegalese truckers staying away after several unilateral actions by The Gambia government years ago. In sum, if they need it more than us, use it more than us, why not involve them in the management?
Secondly common sense and economic prudence dictates that the two countries work together on things that concern them both. Gambians must recognize that it is great business if they can attract and maintain business from 12 million Senegalese. Cassamance is over twice the size of Gambia and lot more in terms of nut rural resources which northern Senegal badly needs. With easy transport across The Gambia that could only mean good business.
Finally, do you think ordinary Gambians will mind who controls or run the ferry service?
Malanding Jaiteh
Sent from my iPad
On Mar 16, 2013, at 11:33 AM, Joe Joe <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Malanding, I agree with you in the main. However, if a joint venture is needed to run a ferry from Banjul to Barra (8 miles or so) then our problems as a nation are much deeper than we thought. What is going on is mismanagement and having village idiots managing stuff. Why should Senegal be brought in to run a simple ferry? Third, no private venture is needed to tax an already broke population with steep tickets. You bring private enterprise in this and between them and a hungry government for cash, what population can feed that cash hunger? True to form, a disaster will have to happen before the riders themselves wake up. When the ferry sinks, it is not Yaya Jammeh that will sink with it but the riders who for years have been floating in the coffins we call ferries, yet, pretend they have nothing to protest about. Like most things Gambia, these ferries will sink, and then we say Allah gives and Allah takes and the line for Siborou at kanilai to resume. This is one of those great projects that Ebrima and Nana have in mind.
Joe
> Date: Wed, 13 Mar 2013 13:08:06 -0400
> From: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: [G_L] Saving the Gambia's ferry service
> To: [log in to unmask]
>
> It is a sad spectacle that another iconic Gambian institution is slowly
> run aground and all we do is to pretend that it not happening. The
> situation with the ferry service is not about lack of passengers willing
> to pay for a ride. It is not about lack of skilled labor to run a
> reliable and safe ferry service in the Gambia, afterall we have done
> that since the early 60s.
> The problem in my view is that of management or lack it. Talking to many
> observers, the system is now being managed by people who at best have no
> idea about what it takes to run a ferry service or simply do not care
> whether we have a working ferry service. It must be clear that a
> competent, reliable ferry service is vital for the Gambia and perhaps as
> important as the telecoms service. The ferry service is the lifeline for
> halfe the country, those in the North Bank to access Banjul and Kombo.
> It can be argued that Farafenni would never have become the regional
> capital had it not been the Bamba Tenda-Yeli Tenda ferry. In addition it
> is one sector where our brothers in Senegal need most from the Gambia
> and will go along way help keep it.
>
> The situation at hand is clearly unacceptable and it will be great
> tragedy should the government who now controls the ferry service lets it
> continue. During a recent visit (2012) I found two "new" ferries in
> Banjul. These are not the traditional roll-on-one-end roll-off-the-other
> we had since 1970s but of another kind. Because of the difference in
> design, the government has to build new land sites in Banjul and Barra
> for these two. Unfortunately its over 15 months since and these ferries
> arrived and not in service. This begs the question, who in their right
> mind would order the purchase of these ferries knowing fully well that
> the Gambia does not have landing sites or will not have one for
> 18months. Are there any chance these will every run after docking in
> Banjul for over 18 months? Think of what it will take to get them to
> service once the sites are ready? These kind of unplanned, ill-advised
> spending of Gambia's meager resources is not helping.
>
> For a long-term solution of the problem I will ask that the government
> look into the creation of a public private partnership in the form of
> New York-New Jersey Ports Authority, where the partners are the Gambia,
> Senegal governments and the private sector. it could be a 60-40
> (Gambia-Senegal) ownership if those in Banjul still want a lot of say.
> The governments should become loan guarantors and allow this
> semi-autonomous agency run things. Oh, for those who will say its
> Gambia's I will say lets make it the show-case of regional integration
> something our "Pan-Africanists" would love to see! Or their heart is in
> something else?
>
> Malanding Jaiteh
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> http://www.foroyaa.gm/burning-issues/12663-poor-ferry-services
>
> POOR FERRY SERVICES
> Published on Wednesday, 13 March 2013 14:03 | Written by Abdoulie G. Dibba
> The Current state of the ferries at both the Bamba Tenda-Yiri Tenda and
> Banjul-Barra ferry crossings hinders the smooth movement of people and
> goods at the said crossing points. This reporter spoke to one Ida Samba
> at Bamba Tenda-Yiri Tenda ferry crossing point on Thursday 7thMarch
> 2013, who was on her return journey to Banjul. She said in her forward
> journey while crossing from Banjul to Barra she was scared to death when
> she boarded the Kanilai ferry on Sunday the 3rd of March 2013. She
> pointed out that when they arrived at Barra, the ferry could not dock at
> the ramp, leaving them with no option but to get down on the river bank
> at their own risk. Madam Samba added: “I was convinced to take the south
> bank road via Soma and I decided to join a transport at Farafenni, but
> to my disappointment I had to spend 8 hours at the Bamba Tenda-Yiri
> Tenda ferry crossing without any sign of crossing due to the long queue
> of vehicles waiting to cross.” According to her, she does not know what
> to do under the circumstances and appealed to the authorities to address
> the situation. A woman vendor who prefers anonymity told this reporter
> that her vegetables she was transporting got spoilt due to the slow
> traffic at the crossing compelling them to spend three days at the
> crossing point. Talking to drivers at the Crossing point, they revealed
> that the slow traffic at the said crossing is as a result of bad ferries
> at the crossing points but not due to any high demand on traffic.
> According to them, there are three ferries namely; Farafenni, Baddibu
> and James Island. These ferries they said often break down and that as
> they were speaking, Farafenni was not operating, leaving only Baddibu
> and James Island in operation. However they said Baddibu is of low
> capacity and once Farafenni or James Island is not operating, smooth
> movement of people would be hindered. Regarding the impact of the lack
> of smooth movement, the Drivers asserted that the slow movement at the
> Crossing points always has negative economic impact on them since they
> would spend more time at the crossing thus compelling them to buy food,
> pay for lodging and buy other basic necessities. All these unplanned
> expenditures, they said, reduce their earnings. Drivers and commuters
> concluded by calling on the ferry authorities to come to their aid
> either by buying new ferries or by refurbishing the old ones, replacing
> the old engines with new ones. This reporter will get in touch with the
> authorities to get their viewpoint.
>
> ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤
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