To the Editor,
Re: Options exist to keep ferries afloat, Opinion, March 18.
If, as Transportation Minister Todd Stone says, the cut to ferry services and cost reductions are needed to keep fares from rising further, why isn’t he looking at the cost to staff the ferries or the benefits that they get? Why is a person selling ferry tickets from a booth getting paid over $20 an hour? Not to mention the money paid out to the managerial staff as bonuses. In the private sector, if a business is not making profit, then good luck trying to get a bonus.
There needs to be drastic changes to how the ferries are governed and not by cutting services. This is an essential public service when living on an island. How are the truckers delivering products to these islands going to cope with more cuts to services? This is a ripple effect which will trickle down, slowing the economy to a grinding halt. Tourism included.
So, who’s suffering? Everyone.
Deborah TeixeiraNanaimo
To the Editor,
Re: Options exist to keep ferries afloat, Opinion, March 18.
In a perfect world, things would never go up in price.
In reality, unless people want user fees where people pay for increased service, we are forced to rely on B.C. Ferries to optimize as best it can.
Or you can move to the mainland where the problem goes away.
Remember, the government is ultimately us so either way we are going to foot the bill.
R. Gillandersvia e-mail