Construction of new ferries for Berbice River, North West routes imminent

Oct 29, 2016 News

Construction of two new vessels to ply the North West and Berbice River routes could begin early next year.
Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, told the Government Information

Govt. has announced that the construction of two ferries that would ply the North West District route and Berbice River is likely set for next year.

Agency (GINA), that early next month, the Governments of Guyana and India will be signing a line of credit for Guyana to acquire two new ferries.
“On the 9th of November we’ll be signing off officially on the letter of credit and then from there we go to select the fabricator and from there immediately start constructing the ferry,” Minister Patterson explained.
Patterson said the government is committed to keeping all its promises.
“They might be slow but they’re sure,” he said.
Many farmers in the North West, Region One and in communities along the Berbice River had stopped planting because it had become difficult to transport their produce to the markets in Georgetown and New Amsterdam.
The return of the ferry should see them returning to the land, Government said in a statement.
In a recent interview with GINA, Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Annette Ferguson, said that even though there is no vessel in fleet currently that can be deployed to provide services in the Berbice River, the government was committed to return the ferry service.
“I know the residents who live in the Berbice River have resorted to alternatives using speed boats and so I know there are a number of produce that farmers have to bring from their community to the market place, but it is something that the government is pursuing to bring some alleviation to the people there in the Berbice river,” Minister Ferguson explained.
In January 2015, the Government of India had assured a US$8M line of credit to fund the fabrication of a ferry to ply the North West route.
Residents of North West District, Region One, had also been pleading for a new ferry with the current one in a bad state and unable to meet current demands.

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