In September The Point reported that the state of the ferry crossing at the Bansang-Bush Town points was bad and thus requires immediate attention.
Our correspondent reports that the ferry’s condition was not only a danger to drivers, travelers and business people but most especially referral patients to the region’s main hospital – the Bansang Hospital.
The ferry was not only slow but had a big hole in the middle. The generator fixed to pull the water out of the ferry goes on and off with the ferry not maintaining balance in the river.
The poor state of the ferry and its slowness has been affecting livelihoods and movement of people of the region for years without any solution by concerned authorities.
Patients on referral from the northern side of CRR to Bansang Hospital carried by the ambulance are often carried out of the ambulance and transferred to a paddling boat to cross to the other side of the river because the ferry takes more than an hour to do the 200 meters crossing.
Commuters called on the government to help them remedy the situation in order to save their lives, goods and services.
However, our reporter was threatened by officials on duty when he tried to interview commuters and also take a photo of the ferry. They also threatened to beat him and destroy his property if he published the article.
Despite the danger the ferry poses to lives and properties of people within the area and the publication, authorities never took a step to address the situation.
The ferry’s condition has worsened and poses even more danger to the lives of people of Central River Region.
