The Editor,
Re: "Ferry tales of woe," Editorial, Jan. 9. The looming crisis at BC Ferries is something we all need to think about. It will affect you, even if you never use them.
There's going to be much less service than we have today and the costs will continue to rise. By extrapolation, our taxes will rise to cover the shortfalls.
It's a sinking ship. My solution would be to gut the ships. Get rid of all the the extraneous stuff like restaurants, arcades, gift shops, lounges and the employees who work those jobs, to accommodate more cars.
It was hailed as a continuance of the provincial highway system. Moving cars and people, from Point A to Point B. Nothing more.
When did it turn into a mini-cruise ship experience, subsidized by every B.C. taxpayer?
I'd assume that most ferry routes are around the two-hour mark or less for a one-way trip.
Stay in your car, bring a sandwich and a thermos, get a book or newspaper to pass the time, or better yet, ogle the incredible beauty passing by you.
Who decided the BC Ferry Corp. had to entertain and feed us? It should be a vehicle carrier, nothing more. Amenities could remain on the ships running the long-haul routes, like Port Hardy to Prince Rupert.
Move more cars per trip and don't run unless a low threshold of capacity is met (at the very least, more passengers than crew).
Save on personnel costs with no restaurant/sales staff, and cleaning and maintenance costs on the public areas will cease as well.
Anyone who's been on a BC Ferries car deck knows there's not a lot of pretty, comfortable and expensive things down there.
There doesn't need to be. Your car or van or SUV is comfortable enough, isn't it? Tough it out, princess.
Add more washrooms throughout the reconfigured car decks for comfort and convenience.
Done. I've solved the problems. Now, where can I get my $1.3 million cheque, "for turning the BC Ferry Corp. around," like David Hahn got?
He got a huge sum, then quit his CEO post and ran away with an impressive severance package, while we're left facing some tough questions. Do you think he was worth it?
Didn't our government praise itself, numerous times, for hiring "the best and the brightest" to justify exorbitant salaries and perks?
Oh yeah! Indeed they did, many times. And the results are coming in, just in time to reflect on them, before the upcoming election.
Geoffrey Filtness Richmond
