MV Kimba breaks down

Aug 28, 2010 News

-300 passengers affected

The MV Kimba which operates the Mabaruma, Essequibo route, broke down yesterday, forcing authorities to tow it back to the city and a family to cancel a planned funeral.
Officials yesterday confirmed that the ferry, the MV Kimbia, developed steering and mechanical problems in the vicinity of Anna Regina, Essequibo coast.
Reports revealed that the vessel was set to leave on Thursday at 11:00hrs but instead left three hours later.
Relatives of the over 300 passengers disclosed that there were large quantities of goods, including perishables on board, and the delay has now caused much discomfort and loss in revenue.
Additionally, travelers who have been waiting for days will now have to consider making alternative arrangements to reach their destinations.
One man said that a dead relative was in a casket on board the vessel.
He later learnt from another relative that persons were complaining about the odour from the casket.
The MV Kimbia travels to the North West fortnightly, operating between Georgetown and Mabaruma with stops in between.
The vessel, which is capable of ferrying up to 300 passengers and cargo, has been plying the North West route for almost two decades.
It is seen as a crucial link to residents in the North West District.
Relatives of persons on the vessel were seen at the Kingston wharf awaiting the arrival of family members.
The MV Kimbia was acquired by the Guyana government in the early 1950s to boost the services of the Transport and Harbours Department.
According to an official at Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD), an arm of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, the Kimbia reportedly became inoperable while in the vicinity of Anna Regina on the Essequibo Coast. It arrived at the Kingston wharf last evening.
Earlier this year, Kevin Trim, General Manager of the T&HD, disclosed that a number of the government-owned ferries were more than 70-years-old. He pointed out that the MV Kimbia and the MV Northcote were released from the Ferguson Brothers Shipyard in Glasgow in the year 1937. He also mentioned that the extensive repairs would entail the vessels requiring crucial engine parts, pump systems and even work towards modifying local hydraulic systems to fit the vessels.
Officials have said that the department is facing huge challenges every year juggling its aging fleet of vehicles between service and constant repairs.
Additionally, the department has seen a serious drop in revenues as a result of the discontinuation of ferry service across the Berbice River with the advent of the Berbice Bridge.

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MV Kimba breaks down

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