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Sep 11, 2012 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

Yesterday was a red-letter day in the history of public transportation of Guyana. The new Chinese ferry that allows vehicles to roll on and roll off freely had its maiden voyage from Parika to Supenaam.
This is an important development in Guyana’s marine history and points to the continued investment by PPP governments in marine transportation in Guyana. The new vessel now permits the larger fleets of cars and trucks to now travel directly from Parika and Supenaam. Previously the ferry would have to make its way out into the choppy waters of the Atlantic and then navigate its way inland, docking at Adventure.
This new vessel and the docking facilities at Supenaam will provide a much improved service and result in savings in the time that it takes to travel from Parika to the Essequibo Coast. Persons wishing to go by ferry to the Essequibo Coast can now do so in greater comfort and in half the time than before.
Of course not everyone uses the ferry and even with the halving of the travel time, many will continue to opt for the speedboats which can half the time that the new ferry takes to go from Parika to Supenaam.
However, when it comes to the movement of cargo, the new ferry is a God- send. For many businesses on the Essequibo Coast it will allow for the faster movement of cargo. This will ease the hassle of many businesses, especially small traders who use the ferry service for the movement of cargo. It will also allow for more produce from the Essequibo to be brought out of the region and therefore boost economic activities in Essequibo.
There have been many criticisms about the Chinese invasion of our commercial sector. But China has not just been seeking business opportunities in Guyana. They have also been helping Guyana and the ferry is just one such assistance.
Ferries are longlasting vessels. The ferries that plied the Berbice River were acquired since the early PPP governments in the 1960’s and some of them are still around. They however do require substantial maintenance and this is where the government needs to pay careful attention. There needs to be ongoing maintenance of the present vessel. The Transport and Harbors Department should not wait until things get real bad before they begin maintenance.
Each day there should be inspections and maintenance undertaken. If there are scratches to the paintwork to the inside of the vessel, these should be “touched” up immediately. The vessel should also be kept clean at all times. It was appalling to have seen the condition of the vessels that plied the Berbice River. They were dirty; the toilets were in a deplorable condition; and travel was far from being comfortable.
You dared not wear a pair of white trousers on that vessel because if by chance you had to brace on some part of the ferry, then your trousers would become soiled with grease.
It is hoped that the new Chinese vessel will be maintained in a state of cleanliness and that the seating arrangements would be comfortable. In fact the passenger area should be air- conditioned so as to encourage more persons to travel by the ferry rather than by speedboat.
The new ferry, it is said, can transport close to eight hundred persons per trip. This is about the daily traffic between the islands, the Essequibo Coast and the mainland. As such, the vessel is expected to present some competition to the speedboats but these boats will continue to exist because Guyanese just to arrive forty-five minutes earlier, would opt for the faster travelling speed boats.
The new ferry will dock at Supenaam and while works are also ongoing at that location it is hoped that the Transport and Harbours Department will acquire exclusive rights to the stelling area. It is hoped, also, that the Transport and Harbours Department can make the Supenaam stelling a presentable and orderly area. This can only be achieved if there is regulated vending. In fact no illegal vending or touting for passengers should be allowed.
There should be designated taxis and minibuses which should pay a base fee to the authorities and given exclusive rights to transport passengers from the stelling.
Guyana needs to have orderly development. It would be a sad day if after so much has been invested in the stelling and the ferry that the entire docking area should be swarmed by vendors with their rickety wooden stalls or by minibuses and their touts.

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