Mayors of Vieques and Culebra oppose HMS Ferris taking over transport operations

Although the governor Pedro Pierluisi Urrutia supports the operation of passenger transport and cargo between the Big Island and the municipality islands through a public-private partnership (APP), the mayors of Old ones and of Snake, Juan A. Corcino i Edilberto Romero, Respectively, oppose this mechanism.

Both mayors favor the creation of a cooperative to provide the service, And anticipated that dialogues and meetings will be held in order to reverse the contract that gave way to the APP last December at a cost of $ 750.9 million. the company HMS Ferries Inc. was the one selected by the APP for 23 years.

“We have to wait for it to arrive (the APP), but I understand it won’t work because right now with HMS, which is the company that was chosen, I haven’t seen any changes. There are a lot of things in the contract that concern us, and I’ve talked to them and raised it, the need for amendments, ”Corcino said.

“For example, I’m concerned that the number of trips is down from eight to four. We can’t go behind. How residents are going to identify people who provide humanitarian services. Right now, the shipping system has collapsed,” he said. he stated.

The two mayors agreed, in separate interviews, that maritime transport is at its “worst” time, although the transition between the Maritime Transport Authority (ATM) and the company HMS Ferries.

“This transition, according to the contract, is scheduled for three years. (HMS) will not bring new vessels. We continue with the plan. We will continue what we have in repair,” said the interim director of the ATM, Miguel Betancourt.

The ATM leased, at a cost of $ 2.2 million, two vessels to HMS Ferris to be inspected by the Coast Guard to then start operating.

The ATM has only one boat in its ownership in function: Cayo Blanco. Other ships, such as Julia Leigh, Mr. Mason and the barge Marilin S., are rented.

Betancourt said the solution to the disarticulated shipping in Vieques and Culebra is the APP “because the new operator will bring all its knowledge, ‘expertise’ and years of experience operating ferries in the United States to Puerto Rico.” .

“I am with the mayor of Vieques. We have no hope with the APP because this has been going on for decades. We Culebra residents have not seen the solution or the light at the end of the road. We have been so run over. The APP is working in Cataño, but it has not come to Ceiba which is where it is most needed, “said Romero.

He pointed out that the ships leased to HMS Ferris are inadequate. “They are catamarans even smaller than the Julia Leigh which, being smaller, suspends wave travel,” he questioned.