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East Bank Berbice taxi drivers protest, commuters stranded

Nov 28, 2010 News

Hundreds of residents of East Bank Berbice were on Thursday left stranded as hire car drivers and some residents took to the street in protest against the condition of the East Bank Berbice Public Road, which stretches from New Amsterdam to Mara, a distance of 25 miles.
However, the main stretch in contention is about 10 miles long and stretches from New Amsterdam to Sisters Village.
The drivers were led in their protest by president of the East Bank Berbice Hire Car Drivers Association, Maxwell Semple.  More than 500 cars and other vehicles ply the East Bank Public Road, which is now one of the worst along the coast. About 70 cars were involved in the protest on Thursday.
The drivers said that their main grouse is the condition of the road which has been in a deplorable state for a very long time. They said that the protest being staged is one of many they have embarked on over the years. And all they are getting are promises, promises and more promises.
Semple said that the area is becoming more popular and the road is getting worst. “These people take us for fools. Twice they repaired this road for 2010 and look the state it is in at the moment.
“All they do is ‘slap dash’ work and call it road repairs. It’s a waste of taxpayers money,” one of the annoyed taxi drivers stated.
Semple stated that they have exhausted all avenues of communication including the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), the Regional Administration, the Public Works Ministry and the Office of the President and they have not even got the courtesy of a reply.
He stated that at the moment a number of business entities use the roads, including three major oil companies, three sawmills, GuySuCo, a new cement plant, cattle and rice farmers, and cash crop farmers. “This is the main thoroughfare and this is how we are being treated.”
Taxi driver, Mohamed Ali, who is a resident of Edinburgh, and has been a hire car driver for more than 25 years, stated that this is one of the worst conditions he has seen the road and the situation is getting worse.
“I have never seen a road break up so fast,” he stated.  These people are just wasting money.
He said what is more heart rending is that they were promised by the government to have their road fixed.
Another sad story is that three other major roads, The Easy and West Canje and The Black Bush Roads are all being fixed and the East Bank Berbice road is not.
Nauth Construction Company which is doing all the road works has its major operations based on the East Bank Berbice. “It too is contributing to the disintegration of the road.” The company has some heavy earth-moving and construction equipment.
“If that is not eyes pass and total disrespect, what is it?”
The drivers said about 25,000 persons live in the area and they all have to use the one road which is the main and only access road to the East Bank Berbice area. They said that since 1992 more than $232M was spent on the road and that money could have been better spent if the authorities had taken their time to do at least one mile of good asphalt road a year.
They said that they are prepared to fight until they get what they want and are prepared to continue demonstrating for as long as possible.
During the afternoon hundreds of workers and school children were left stranded in New Amsterdam as the drivers continued their demonstration.

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