ZANZIBAR passenger boats a time bomb`

Z`bar passenger boats a time bomb`
2007-07-30
By Mwinyi Sadallah, Zanzibar
Guardian

Marine transportation vessels ferrying passengers between Zanzibar and the Mainland are a ticking time bomb.

Some of the engines fall silent times while in high seas, posing a serious threat to human lives.

Members of the House of Representatives raised their concern while debating the 2007/8 budget for the ministry of Infrastructure Development and Transportation in Zanzibar, which was presented by Minister Adam Mwakanjuki.

Special Seats Representative Zakia Omar said some of the crafts would have their engines going off several times, bringing panic to passengers.

She said: `MV Sepideh is the only company which services its ships annually.`

The representative mentioned Sea Star and Sea Express as some of the companies whose ships had caused passengers� concern. She called upon the government to make a serious follow up on the boat companies.

`A number of registered second hand boats lack quality cleaning services. There are a lot of cockroaches running around the vessels.

Some of the vessels carry passengers beyond capacity.

Should there be an accident, a lot of people would lose their lives,` said Zakia.

Another representative, Mkongwe Nassor, said Pemba Port needed major repairs, saying women were forced to pull their clothes up to their chests to avoid getting wet while getting on or off board.

Wete representative Asaa Othman Hamad said the government had to be cautious about the deteriorating condition of sea vessels.

Hamad said he was surprised to see the problem persisting although experts were inspecting the said ships.

Responding to the allegations, the Deputy Minister for Infrastructure Development and Transportation Mzee Ali Ussi said: `Previously, the Surface and Marine Transport Regulatory Authority (SUMATRA) was in charge of inspecting the passenger boats.

However, we have established a special department that will perform the task.`

Ussi said the department was already operational. He promised to make sure that it would operate efficiently.


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