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Local maritime, transport sector to see major improvements
– Minister of Public Infrastructure
Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson has disclosed that the new administration is already moving ahead with plans to improve the local maritime and public transportation sector.
The Minister, in the Alliance for Change column on Sunday, outlined Government’s blueprint for upgrading public infrastructure in Guyana.
Among the plans, Patterson disclosed that the Ministry has taken steps in the acquisition of large passenger buses to ply long routes.
Patterson said that the Ministry will acquire larger than the usual 26 seater passenger buses to ply the routes such as Georgetown to Lethem, Mc Kenzie to Kwakwani, Adventure to Charity and Georgetown to Corriverton.
The introduction of larger passenger buses is a direct spin off of the plans to restructure the road transportation programme.
The Public Infrastructure Minister also disclosed that plans to upgrade shipping terminal in the in Port Georgetown, Berbice and Essequibo and dredge the Demerara Navigational Channel are already being implemented.
This is expected to aid in the reduction of high charges that owners of cargo vessels are paying to transport goods only in small quantities in and out of Guyana.
Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson
Additionally, Minister Patterson said a brand new dredger will be purchased to maintain the channels, rivers and creeks.
Patterson had also indicated that efforts would be made to strengthen the local Maritime Administration Department (MARAD).
The minister made this announcement at the opening ceremony of the World Maritime Day Exhibition at the Transport and Harbour Department, on Friday.
According to Patterson, while Guyana’s marine section of the transportation sector is slightly behind, government plans to direct more investments in the physical transportation sector of the industry. He noted that while investments will be made to acquire modern vessels to boost the transportation sector, training for those in the industry is also important.
“I’d like to task MARAD and everyone else to look at training to help develop a large cadre of maritime professionals. I have spoken to my counterpart minister in Jamaica, they have a well-established maritime school, with the hope that maybe from next year we can establish a full scholarship for eligible students from Guyana where they will only be required to pay board and lodging,” Minister Patterson had disclosed.
According to information posted on the Government Information Agency (GINA) Website Patterson also noted that with the advent of Petroleum exploration, investments will be made to enhance the necessary maritime standards that MARAD can be better equipped to police the waterways, ensure the safety of those who travel and execute search and rescue missions, should there be a disaster on any of the oil exploration platforms.
Minister Patterson further said that MARAD will soon address the issue of sunken and derelict vessels in the country’s waterways as they pose serious problems to the safety of boats plying the varying channels. As such, a comprehensive plan to execute this objective will be developed.
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