Aden’s port lands looted, report says [Archives:2007/1023/Local News]

SANA'A, Feb. 10 ) Many government parties looted lands and real estate that belong to Aden Port due to the absence of a general plan of port's lands, a parliamentary report said last December.

The report attributed the deterioration of financial and administrative situation of Yemeni ports to the lack of an organizational structure which decides the authorities and specializations in port's administration.

Prepared by the Parliament's Transportation Committee, came after field visits to many air and maritime ports, recording many problems and the lack of maintenance and air navigation equipments.

The report said there is contradiction between Ports Administration and Customs Administration, as well as between Coastguard Administration and Maritime Affairs Authority.

According to the report, the difficulties and hurdles the Yemeni ports face are attributed to the competition of the neighboring ports which provide more facilities than those provided by Yemeni ones, expecting ports' war within the coming period which requires more authorities to increase activity and competition.

The report also noticed an increase in tickets and land equipments exploitation fees in airports in addition to the absence of customs facilitation and the non-commitment to flight schedules on the part of Yemen Airways (Yemenia) which suffer from accrued debts.

The Committee demanded resolving the pending problems and modernization of Yemenia fleet and encouraging the private investments relating to air transport. It also asked for breaking Yemenia's monopoly and enabling Arab and foreign companies to use the Yemeni airports in making direct tourist and cargo flights.

Air and maritime transport sector lacks care on the part of those who administer these utilities, the report said.
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