By Adama Makasuba
Dozens of boat passengers shuttling between Barra and Banjul have said despite tediousness in crossing with the boats it still fast than ferries.
Lots of passengers are using locally made boats to shuttle between Banjul and Barra following a 30-day suspension of the ferries by the Gambia Ports Authority for renovation of the ramps.
Speaking to one of the passengers, Felli Jaye Wally said: “crossing with the boats is very tedious, just when I was crossing from Barra to Banjul the porter that carried mistakenly droppedt me in the river. I lost almost all I was carried there.”
She added: “If it is the ferry, you would only walk to enter it, but here it is quite different. I am even worried of how I will cross here today. I am afraid of river, I always tied my eyes with scarf from Banjul to Barra, it is scary. I only join the boats because there is no ferry plying the river.”
But Nabiya Joof, another passenger, said that: “we don’t face any difficulty because crossing here is okay. Some people are just afraid but it is safe, really the boats are safe to ferry people between Banjul and Barra.
“The fare is okay because looking at the speed of the boats plying here and the ferry, fare on the boats are fine. The boats are very fast. I don’t see any problem with the fare issue; however, it might not favour others thought because people aren’t equal,” she added.
However, Ndeye Mbodge said: “I don’t face any difficulty because the boat workers are hardworking and they have respect for passengers.”
And Latir Jobe, said the government should help these young hardworking porters because they are committed to their work despite looking at the condition and risk they are faced with. The money they collect from people is too minimal given the work they are doing: taking people on and of the boats is absolutely tedious.
