Gov. Dannel P. Malloy is threatening to "reconsider" supporting additional state funding for the Amistad if the schooner follows through with plans to skip this weekend's Sailfest in New London.
In a letter Thursday to Hanifa Washington, executive director of Amistad America Inc., Malloy said the schooner should be made available to Connecticut residents and the public. The state contributes about $400,000 annually to the replica slave ship, dubbed Freedom Schooner Amistad.
A message was left with Amistad officials. This week, Washington cited preparations for an upcoming Coast Guard inspection and local newspaper coverage for the decision to forgo Sailfest.
Malloy questioned the decision, saying "failure to bring the Amistad to New London would force me to reconsider support of additional state funding when negotiating future budgets" with lawmakers.
Washington issued the following statement Thursday:
"We will exhaust every resource in our effort to attend Sailfest. Next to upholding our mission, our priority has to be the safety of our crew and compliance to maritime regulations. If we can satisfy these requirements, we will gladly participate. The vessel is currently available to Connecticut residents in our home port of New Haven."
