Sea transportation. PR says that Bispo D.Ildo Fortes "gave a voice to those who have no voice"

The head of state made the remarks to journalists in reaction to a post published last week by the bishop of the Diocese of Mindelo in which he claimed that what had been happening on inter-island trips was “disrespectful” and asked for accountability.

For José Maria Neves, the bishop “is absolutely right and gave a voice to those who have no voice”, since “everyone needs to become aware of the magnitude of the problem”.

“Cape Verde will only grow and will only gain in terms of competitiveness and inclusive growth of all the islands, if, effectively, we solve the transport problems”, he advocated, admitting that the country “is already late”.

This is because, he maintained, “almost 50 years after independence, it is time to definitively resolve this issue”.

“For this reason, the words of Dom Ildo Fortes were a stone in the pond and I hope they have an effect”, launched José Maria Neves.

In a post published last Friday, the 24th, Dom Ildo Fortes reported the “successive constraints and annoyances” encountered on a trip he made from São Vicente to São Nicolau on the 22nd of February aboard the ship Dona Tututa from Cabo Verde Interilhas.

The bishop questioned the “such lack of consideration and disrespect for passengers”, among children and the elderly, who waited more than eight hours inside a maritime station “without the minimum of conditions”.

According to the same source, there is still a lack of organization, since each one had to carry their suitcases and bags up the “steep and slippery” stairs of the different floors of the boat to place them, “each one in their own way, the best they can”. can”.

“Someone should be held responsible for this, which, unfortunately, is frequent and delays Cape Verde. We are proud to host the Ocean Race and I don't know what else and we are not capable of solving something as basic, urgent and necessary as moving from one island to another”, he criticized.

The concessionaire for inter-island maritime transport, Cabo Verde Interilhas, currently has only two ships operating, Chiquinho BL, which makes the São Vicente/Santo Antão line and Dona Tututa with the other lines.

A situation also questioned on February 18 by the African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV, opposition) which considered that the Government is putting the Cape Verdean population in a “situation of despair” when there are operational boats stopped in Porto Grande do Mindelo.

Subsequently, the National Directorate of Sea Policy acknowledged on Sunday, in a statement, that there have been failures in inter-island maritime transport services, citing financial and operational reasons, but promised the implementation of a new operational model for the “next days ”.