JPP Secretary-General Élvio Sousa today accused the PSD and CDS of continuing to delay the implementation of a regular maritime ferry connection between Madeira and mainland Portugal, arguing that “Madeirans are fed up with promises, announcements and studies without any concrete decisions to solve a problem that has dragged on for decades.”
Speaking to reporters, the party leader recalled that the deadline for completing the economic and financial study on the creation of a regular passenger and cargo ferry service between the Autonomous Region of Madeira and the mainland expired in May.
According to Élvio Sousa, “Madeirans have been hearing promises about a regular ferry connection for years and have witnessed announcements, intentions, studies and declarations of commitment, yet they still see no concrete results.”
The JPP leader also accused the PSD and CDS of publicly supporting the ferry connection while adopting, in practice, what he described as a contradictory position.
“At a time when the JPP presented a proposal to guarantee a second alternative ramp for ferry berthing, the PSD and CDS rejected the undertaking of a study to assess this logistical solution,” he said.
“If the objective is to create the necessary conditions for a ferry connection, why did they refuse to study the construction of a second ramp and a dedicated quay area when the operational limitations of the only existing infrastructure in Funchal are already known?” He asked.
Élvio Sousa argued that those who genuinely want a ferry service move quickly to create the necessary conditions and remove obstacles, adding that the rejection of alternative solutions demonstrates a lack of commitment to the project.
He also criticised the Portuguese Government, saying it had promised to take all the necessary steps to launch an international public tender for the creation of a regular maritime passenger and cargo service between Madeira and the mainland, as provided for in the State Budget, but instead opted to commission an economic and financial study.
For Élvio Sousa, the ferry connection “is not a luxury or a political obsession, but a strategic tool to strengthen mobility, reduce transport costs, increase competition, support businesses, boost tourism, and reinforce the territorial cohesion of the Republic. Those who genuinely want a ferry service create the conditions for it to exist. Those who reject infrastructure projects, postpone tenders, and replace decisions with studies are simply prolonging a problem that Madeira has been waiting decades to resolve,” he concluded.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
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