Come see the suffering, minister

THE EDITOR: Open letter to Minister of Works and Transport Rohan Sinanan.

Happy New Year to you, Mr Minister. However, for some of us the year is not off to a very happy start. Yes, it is me again writing about the water taxi service.

Unfortunately, the first working week of the year, when hundreds of people were returning to work, there was only one working water taxi. Now, water taxi travellers like myself believed the notices which said the "one boat sailing" was for two days only (January 2 and 3). Being accustomed with the inefficient service, we reasoned that it would be just two days of inconvenience, so as usual we grinned and beared it. Mistake.

A public notice was posted on Facebook at 7.21 pm on Wednesday advising of one sailing for the remainder of the week. If I was not on Facebook I would never have known there was only one sailing on the morning of January 4. On Wednesday afternoon, at the terminal, there was no announcement that there would only be one sailing on Thursday morning. In fact, tickets were being sold as normal for all sailings on Thursday and Friday mornings.

Mr Minister, it is a new year and we south commuters who rely on the water taxi are facing the same old problems. Why are there four boats docked at the San Fernando terminal and only one of them is working? What is Nidco really doing with the water taxi service? Has any members of the board of directors actually used the water taxi?

The year is too early to start complaining but here we are yet again. Frustrated. Tired. Annoyed. A service that was supposed to be a quick reliable way to get to Port of Spain has become a most frustrating experience. Every morning last week people got ready before sunrise to get to the terminal and every morning people were left behind because there was only one sailing.

South commuters cannot even sleep properly because communication regarding the sailings come in the dead of the night. It’s always a rush to get to and from work as no-one knows if the boat is working.

We need to do better. People sitting in high offices, particularly yourself as the minister and the directors of Nidco, all need to take a ride on the water taxi. Come sit in the shaky seats in the terminal. Come rush for the boat because there's only one sailing. Come stand in the terminal for half hour just to ensure you have a better chance of boarding.

And come rush with us for alternative transportation when we don't get on the one sailing. Most importantly, come do this every single working day. Experience what we experience.

We are tired and fed up of the inefficiency with the water taxi service. Why are taxpayers’ money being used to have four water taxis if only one is working? Why are taxpayers’ money being used for the San Fernando waterfront redevelopment project if the water taxis are not working? Is the ministry taking steps to acquire working water taxis? We need answers, Mr Minister.

Again, it is a new year and I'm sounding like a broken record, but my offer still remains. Please come take a ride on the water taxi with us. Maybe then you would be able to address our concerns.

CANDICE ALEXANDER

San Fernando