Latest update April 4th, 2025 12:14 AM
Commuters stranded as Parika Stelling priority system is misused
Commuters seeking to transport goods from the Parika Stelling to Bartica, Wakenam and
A truck being loaded at the Parika Stelling.
Leguan are feeling the brunt of a priority/ booking system which they allege is being misused for financial gain. The system has caused passengers and cargo to be stranded for weeks.
The passengers told Kaieteur News that they usually take supplies to persons in the various locations but that they have not transported anything for weeks because of the manner in which operators at the stelling is conducting the system.
Commuters say that there is a special booking system in place. Passengers have to reserve a space on the boat in advance. Since the boat has limited space, there is also a priority system where certain vehicles that have to be transported across the river are given precedence over others once they have a letter from Transport and Habours head office in the city.
The commuters claim, however, that ferry operators are collecting money from persons to eliminate commuters who would have already made advanced bookings for the ferry. Ordinary persons are also turning up with priority letters and are given precedence.
The bookings are made in advance, but payments are not made until the day the passenger is ready to travel, the affected commuters said.
According to the irate commuters which were mostly businessmen, the MV Makouria which travels to Bartica on a daily basis is now plying the route to Wakenam and Leguan on Mondays since the Malali which previously operated the route is no longer in operation.
The commuters would usually make a booking to access the boat, “but what is happening now,” one passenger explained, “is that when you go to make the booking they are telling you that the book is filled, but if you pay them so much money there are names on the list that could be removed and we would get the space.”
“If you don’t pay the money you are left behind.”
The passenger explained that about 20 trucks are placed on the boat with 10 to 12 of them being priority vehicles including those for government transportation. The document authorising priority crossing comes from the Georgetown Transport and Harbours Traffic Manager’s office and is addressed to the Superintendent of the Parika Stelling, Clerk-in charge.
The document includes the vehicle license plate number, date of travel, location etc. and directs that the holder of the priority document to report to the Officer-in-charge of the Stelling four hours ahead of their travelling time. The document also gives other directions for use of the ferry. It is signed by the Traffic Manager.
The passengers say however, that the document does not carry a letterhead or sequence number. It is a typed out letter which more or less passes as a ticket for priority on the boat. They believe this could easily be reproduced and persons seeking to pay could have priority access, while it would be difficult to trace who would have had access to these priority documents.
There are some letters, the passenger’s claim, which gives ordinary commuters priority to access the boat on specific days so on these particular days the vessel is off limits.
One passenger claimed that it has been more than a week since he has been trying to access a priority letter from the Transport and Habours head office but is unable to do so. The man alleged that when he requested information about the booking-priority system at the stelling, he was told by a gentleman that he is swamped with the number of priority letters previously given out by the other person who is now on leave. He said he has been unable to use the ferry for some three weeks now.
After several calls to the Transport and Harbours office, the newspaper was told that the person to deal with the matter was unavailable. Kaieteur News was also unable to make contact with the agency’s General Manager via cell phone.
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