Government Assures That the “Dja Braba” Will Begin Service on the Brava–Fogo Route This Year with Five Weekly Trips
The ship “Dja Braba” is expected to begin operations later this year with five weekly trips on the maritime route between the islands of Brava and Fogo, Minister João do Carmo Brito announced today in parliament.
The assurance was given in response to a parliamentary question from Ivone Cardoso, a representative of the Movement for Democracy (MpD, opposition) elected from the Brava constituency, Ivone Cardoso, who questioned the government about the delay in the ship’s commencement of operations and the lack of concrete information regarding its entry into service.
In his response, João do Carmo explained that the current government had assumed the state’s commitments regarding the acquisition of the ships “Dja Braba” and “Eugénio Tavares,” processes which, he stated, had been initiated by the previous administration without any signed contracts.
The official noted that the vessel “Dja Braba” had already been paid for in full, but that it could not begin operating immediately upon its arrival, as it needed to undergo technical inspections and repairs at a shipyard.
According to the minister, several irregularities and areas requiring correction were identified during the inspections, including the absence of protective and safety equipment, the lack of air conditioning, and the need for technical work on the propellers and the vessel’s structure.
João do Carmo Brito reported that the safety equipment has already been purchased and is being installed; technical measurements of the metal plates and propeller clearances have also been taken, and maintenance and painting work on the ship’s hull has been carried out.
“We are in the final phase of these repairs,” he assured, reiterating that the government intends to guarantee to the residents of Brava that the maritime service will begin later this year, with five weekly trips between Brava and Fogo.
In her remarks, Ivone Cardoso challenged some of the information presented by the minister, arguing that the “Dja Braba” was designed precisely to meet the mobility needs of Brava’s population.
The lawmaker stated that the vessel has the capacity to carry 85 passengers and 25 metric tons of cargo, considering it adequate to strengthen the connection between the two islands and reduce the isolation of Brava’s population.
For his part, MpD Representative Celso Ribeiro challenged the minister’s statements and asked him to tell the truth about the process of acquiring the ship “Dja Braba,” particularly regarding the alleged lack of a contract at the time the vessel arrived in Cape Verde.
Celso Ribeiro clarified that the first payment, in the amount of 24 million escudos, was made during the MpD administration on April 30 of this year, while the second payment, of nearly nine million escudos, was made on May 11.
“It doesn’t look good for a government official to come here and try to deceive the Cape Verdeans,” accused the MpD representative.
