Latest update December 20th, 2024 1:38 AM
Jan 09, 2013 News
Plans are apace this year to undertake rehabilitative works on a number of ferry stellings including the currently dilapidated Georgetown and Vreed-en-hoop stellings.
At least this is according to General Manager of the Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD), Ms. Merclene Merchant, who during a Public Works Ministry press conference on Friday last said that “foremost amongst the plans for 2013 is the rehabilitation of stellings.”
“In addition to repairs on a Port Kaituma bond and the two aforementioned stellings, works are also slated for stellings at Parika, Rosignol, New Amsterdam, Bartica and Wakenaam”, Merchant said.
There are also plans to rehabilitate the T&HD Central workshop this year, even as efforts are directed to the construction of floating ramps to accommodate speed boats at the Parika, Vreed-en-Hoop and Georgetown stellings.
According to Merchant “our engineers are presently designing these floating ramps.”
The T&HD Director also spoke of plans for the acquisition of spares for vessels and ships and moves to install a vehicle scale at Bartica and point of sales systems at the Bartica, Leguan and Wakenaam stellings.
“We also installed points of sale systems at the Parika and Supenaam stellings to enhance the operations; digital video recorders were also installed at the Supenaam and Parika stellings to enhance security and computerised wind systems were installed at Supenaam, and there is currently upgrading at the Parika stelling,” Merchant informed.
Also among the plans for this year is the docking of two vessels – the MV Makouria and the MV Malali – even as the efforts are made to acquire a new or second-hand vessel to replace the MV Kimbia which was recently docked, Merchant disclosed. That vessel was docked to the tune of $118M, of which $95 million was funded by capital expenditure which was allocated to the T&HD Department for 2012.
Merchant disclosed that the department was in receipt of a total of $414 million in capital expenditure for the past year, which in fact catered to the dry docking of three vessels and the rehabilitation and improvement of a few stellings.
In addition, the monies for MV Kimbia have been allocated for the docking of the MV Sandaka to the tune of $52 million and the MV Barima which will cost the department a further $103 million.
Merchant disclosed that the MV Barima is slated to replace the Lady Northcote which is presently tasked with plying the Georgetown – Kaituma route.
The T&HD General Manager revealed that during the past year monies amounting to about $167 million, were expended on the acquisition of spares for vessels. And according to her, other achievements included the completions of the Roll-on/Roll-off facilities at Parika and Supenaam, hence the two new ferries, the Kanawan and the MV Sabanto, commenced operating the Parika/Supenaam route in September and November respectively.
Merchant disclosed that last year the MV Bonasika was docked under current expenditure to replace the MV Sandaka which is presently operating in the Berbice River between Rosignol and New Amsterdam. Works last year, too, included the completion of revetment works at Kumaka, along with minor repairs and maintenance to the other stellings.
T&HD, Merchant noted, was able to open its own Sports Club and Bar in March, an operation which is said to be progressing fairly well. The upper flat of that facility, she added, is rented out for functions such as weddings and parties. Another venture undertaken by the Department is its bitumen plant which, despite some challenges, was able to produce approximately 14,000 tonnes of hot mix for the year, Merchant said. However she noted that the “total receipts generated for 2012 was approximately $1.404 billion as against our major expenditure which was $1.495 billion.”
The T&HD Department is usually furnished with subsidies amounting to $500 million as Current Expenditure from the Finance Ministry to assist with payments of fuel and several major liabilities, including those related to the Guyana Revenue Authority and the National Insurance Scheme, among others.
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