Jean-David Richardson, president of the board of directors of the Galisbay port establishment, confided in the plenary session of the territorial council that a reflection was underway as to the possibility of making payment for the passage under the Sandy Ground bridge. Indeed, they are territorial waters and the Collectivity is in its right to make paying their uses for commercial ends via a deliberation of the territorial council. The revenues collected could finance part of the maintenance of the infrastructures installed by the port, such as the buoys which delimit the access channel.
But establishing a right of way would mean that all boats, Anguilla boats or French boats, will have to pay for it. (more details on www.soualigapost.com)
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No glop!
That we make the users of the bridge pay is one thing,… we have to maintain the bridge and pay the people handling it… but from there to make the boats which pass under the bridge pay… .. it is 1- unmanageable 2- idiotic because there is no service in return, only the boats which ask to have the bridge opened must possibly pay.
Why not rather also charge the cars which pass over it as it would be 1- easier 2- more profitable? lol! Because it is the cars which benefit from the service of the bridge, not the boats which only need a channel….
In short, if there is something to be done, it is effectively to charge a right to use the lagoon, which would make it possible to fight against pollution in particular and to fight against the wrecked boats which come to pollute, die and sink there. This tax could be on mooring moorings, on the various pontoons and lifts and sites in the lagoon. And if things were to be done right, it would have to be done on both sides of the border ...
and then, as the article underlines, the boats which will pay will still be the French registered boats and not the Anguillais and the Dutch and the unregistered boats… unless you put a toll station….
Finally, it would be good if we think on the French side, that boating is an essential component of tourism and development, because St Martin is first and foremost an island surrounded by water… ..
Another stupid idea that will scare away boats and small financial contributions from the Dutch side …… ..
We think we are dreaming!