Africa-Press – Cape verde. The Deputy Prime Minister, Olavo Correia, acknowledged that there was a degradation in inter-island transport services, compared to 2019, but guaranteed that the Government is committed to “changing the situation” and solving the concessionaire’s problems, attributing to blame, so to speak, on covid-19.
The also Minister of Finance and Business Development and Minister of the Digital Economy was speaking during the question period to the Government, this Thursday afternoon, at the National Assembly.
As he explained, the contractual negotiation process, which started in 2019 “went well”, but that everything began to get complicated with the arrival of Covid-19, in March 2020. However, he advanced that there has been a “substantial change” in relation to the level of service provided by maritime transport.
readjust
Olavo Correia reiterated the Government’s commitment to “take a leap” and improve maritime transport services, this because, as he said, the process is already in the final stage and the team is better prepared to readjust the framework in accordance with the concessionaire .
“We have a clear notion that we have to improve, we are not satisfied (…), we have to recognize that there has been a change towards a degradation in 2019, and we have to be honest so that things can improve and we are working with the concessionaire so that we can change the framework within what the concession contract itself provides”, attested the government official.
As he assured, the government is committed and “will do everything”, both in terms of legal and financing terms, to guarantee the desired results, a process that requires time and “understanding” of Cape Verdeans.
PAICV accuses Government of attributing the blame for maritime transport problems to covid-19
On the other hand, deputy Julião Varela, from the PAICV, said that, similarly to the privatization of TACV, the contract for the maritime transport concession had “collapsed” and that Cape Verdeans were now awaiting government intervention.
He accused the Government of attributing the blame for the problems of maritime transport to covid-19 and questioned the absence of the “five boats” as stipulated in the terms of reference.
“Therefore, having failed to fulfill this fundamental obligation, the State even had the possibility of reviewing the concession, that is, to redeem and resolve the concession for significant non-compliance with this clause because it was an essential commitment”, he defended.
Julião Varela said that the routes fixed some time ago and which had been regularly complied with, were violated and ceased to be complied with by the company which, according to him, claimed the payment of compensatory damages.
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