Cape Verde will still pay a high price for not having invested in modernizing its cabotage fleet - Carlos Burgo

The former minister spared no criticism of the sector's management, considering that the inter-island maritime transport concession, although it may have had good intentions, was flawed in its design, negotiation and monitoring. "And the government is still under the illusion that it has transferred the risk to the private sector!?!? The outlook in this sector is bleak," Burgo lamented.

The current situation of the concessionary fleet is, for Carlos Burgo, alarming. He points out that the company responsible for the connection between the islands has "inadequate and/or obsolete boats". As an example, he mentioned the boat acquired with a government guarantee, which he considers to be inadequate and only allowed to operate between São Antão and São Vicente. The emblematic vessel D. Tututa was described as "an old boat falling apart".

The criticism extended to the two catamarans provided by the state, which were considered unsuitable for the archipelago's maritime conditions, as well as being "fragile, demanding and expensive to maintain". For Burgo, the frequent breakdowns of these vessels are no coincidence, raising serious concerns about the "guarantee of inter-island transport, an essential condition for the functioning of the economy" in Cape Verde.

The announcement of the intention to acquire another naval unit within two years was considered by Carlos Burgo to be "late and insufficient". The delegation of the acquisition to Empresa Nacional de Administração dos Portos (ENAPOR) was also criticized, revealing, in his opinion, the government's "unpreparedness in this matter".

Visibly concerned about the potential consequences of this situation, Carlos Burgo called for "someone to shake up the government and wake it up to the threat hanging over the country!!!". The warning from the former Finance Minister and Governor of the Bank of Cape Verde comes at a crucial time for the Cape Verdean economy, which is heavily dependent on connectivity between its islands. The lack of a modern and efficient cabotage fleet could have significant impacts on trade, tourism and the mobility of citizens.