Public enterprises such as the Gambia Ferry Services offer goods and services based on user fees or charges as well as on schedules and on the principle of first come first served. Therefore, public services operate based on an egalitarian concept that all customers are equal so long as they pay the prescribed cost and submit to the timing and place of the service delivery.
There should be no preferential treatment for anyone in the delivery of public services. Where such preferential treatment has to be provided, it must be for purposes of emergency such as the crossing of an ambulance or fire brigade or in consideration of certain individual conditions such as age, disabilities or pregnancy or other emergencies.
In that case, why should the Gambia Ferry Services make the ferry wait for 35 minutes just to allow the Deputy Speaker to board the ferry? The departure time of the ferry must be respected by the Gambia Ferry Services who must treat all customers equally. Only when it is a case of emergency should the ferry be delayed or diverted to address that emergency, which should also be guided by law.
Public officials must respect the law and citizens. Therefore, the Deputy Speaker should not have accepted the ferry to wait for him in the first place because that tantamount to disregarding the rights and dignity of the people. The fact that the Gambia Ferry Services had to keep the ferry for so long goes to not only demonstrate disrespect for citizens but also imposing unnecessary and undeserved cost on the people in the ferry.
It is not enough to say there was no emergency situation on the ferry therefore the delay was justified. The fact that people decided to board that ferry at that time means they have businesses to run and places to go to. Therefore, they should not be forced to endure delay which is not their fault, and it was not an emergency. If public officials want to be in the ferry let them come on time but there is no legal or moral justification to keep the ferry to wait for them.
Unfortunately, public officials in the Gambia are notorious for disregard of rules as they arrogate to themselves special status and treatment, undeservedly. For example, it is common to see public officials in their vehicles jump out of the traffic to drive on the side of the road to pass through checkpoints when everyone else is in the queue. Just because one is a public official or in an official vehicle does not make that person special or better than other citizens.
I wish to therefore call on the Director of Gambia Ferry Services to resign or be sacked for this gross misconduct. Not only has the Director shown disdain for the people but the fact that the Gambia Ferry Services can only maintain one ferry between Banjul and Barra shows incompetence and inefficiency.
The Banjul – Barra crossing is so important that not only should it have multiple ferries at any one time, but it should also be a 24/7 service non-stop. In this day and age, one cannot close such a major national and international crossing for no justified reason. The ferry service is integral and indispensable to the economy and development of the country.
I call on all citizens to raise their voices at the incompetence and inefficiency of the Gambia Ports Authority and its subsidiary, the Gambia Ferry Services and demand accountability.
