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PRESS RELEASE – September 25,2007
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PUBLIC SERVICES COMMISSION
PRESS RELEASE – September 25, 2007
In response to the $0.50
surcharge on the Turnstiles at the Red Hook Ferry Dock in St. Thomas,
the Public Services Commission releases the following statement.
On several occasions the
Public Services Commission through its Chair Alecia M. Wells,
Commissioner M. Thomas Jackson, the General Counsel, and staff, has met
with officials from the Virgin Islands Port Authority, and the Ferry
Boat Franchisees (St. Thomas/St. John) to discuss the quality and
provision of Ferry service at the docks. During those discussions, Mrs.
Wells in her capacity as a resident of St. John and Chair of the Public
Services Commission, who relies on these services daily, raised the
issue of the turnstiles and the unfairness of their implementation at
Red Hook. Chair Wells emphasized that while the Public Services
Commission does not have the power or authority to regulate this
specific issue at Red Hook, as a sister government agency with shared
jurisdiction over a common utility –that being the Ferry Franchisees—it
was incumbent upon the PSC to identify those factors that contribute to
customer satisfaction and service.
Accordingly, the Chair
and Staff of the Commission brought to the Port Authority’s attention
the impact the implementation of the turnstile charges could have on
customers who must use these facilities. The Port Authority has pointed
out to the Chair and Staff during those meetings that the turnstiles
have been put in place to defray the construction and maintenance costs
of the newly remodeled Red Hook docks. However, Chair Wells responded to
VIPA officials that while the defraying of such costs is understandable,
the use of a turnstile surcharge simply was not. It could have a
significant impact upon the passengers who rely on this public form of
transportation. Customers were already concerned about the level of
service provided by the Ferry Franchisees and the costs associated with
inter-island travel. It could have a dampening effect, if customers in
addition to ferry tickets, and porter fees, would now have to pay an
additional fee to simply gain access to the facilities. Additionally,
it remains unclear how long these fees will remain in effect, if it will
be incrementally increased, and if so by how much? During those
meetings, the Chair of the Commission asked VIPA to reconsider this
course of action, and she reiterates her request once more.
It is incumbent upon the
VIPA to ensure that in addition to recouping the cost of construction,
that it also considers the needs of the customers whose patronage is
crucial to the legislative mandate and goal of promoting inter-island
travel. The Public Services Commission looks forward to working together
with the VIPA in assurance of these principles to protect and promote
the welfare of the traveling public.
Sunny Isle Professional Building, Suite 8
P. O. Box 7360, Christiansted, St. Croix, VI 00823-7360
Tel. (340) 778-6010 Fax: (340) 778-0302
Barbel Plaza, No. 8 Estate Ross
P. O. Box 40, St. Thomas, VI 00804-0040
Tel. (340) 776-1291 Fax: (340) 774-4971
The Battery (Tuesday & Thursday)
Cruz Bay, St. John, VI
Tel. 776-1391
The Virgin Islands Public Services Commission ensures safe, reliable and
reasonably priced public ferry boat services, telephone, cable,
electric, potable water, wastewater and solid waste rates for Virgin
Islands consumers, by regulating public utilities. |
