Rep. Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak, heavily criticized the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities for its management of the Alaska Marine Highway System at a press conference Monday.<\/p>\n
“There is a huge disconnect between our administration, i.e. DOT running the vessels, the captains running the vessels, the engineers running the vessels and Vigor Shipyard,” Stutes said, referring to the private company that runs the Ketchikan Shipyard. “There’s no communication whatsoever.”<\/p>\n
Stutes alleged there was little to no collaboration by shore-side staff and those running the vessels, to the point where repair requests submitted by captains and engineers were not even confirmed as received by DOT.<\/p>\n
“They put in their request for service and that’s the last they ever hear of it,” Stutes said. “The head engineer (on the shore), most of the captains wouldn’t recognize him if they walked past him in the hallway.”<\/p>\n
The problem didn’t start with Gov. Mike Dunleavy, Stutes said, but it also has not improved. She cited the governor’s recent action regarding the coronavirus, where the governor has requested additional funds to combat the spread of the disease. She applauded the governor for taking that action, and said the same action should be taken for the AMHS.<\/p>\n
“Why does this emergency not apply to our Alaska Marine Highway System and our communities which have been in a dire situation for months now,” Stutes asked.<\/p>\n
That was a sentiment shared by some at the Native Issues Forum hosted by Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska at Elizabeth Peratovich Hall. The subject of Monday’s forum was the AMHS and Executive Director of Friends of AMHS Percy Frisby called the current situation with the ferries a state of emergency.<\/p>\n