Govt. considers replacement for Suriname ferry

Jun 01, 2019 News

Government has not ruled out placing one of the country’s ferries on the Corentyne River to take pass

The MV Canawaima is down for repairs

engers and vehicles from Moleson Creek to Suriname.
The MV Canawaima has been out of commission for several days now because of mechanical and other issues. In its wake, scores of passengers have been left stranded with their vehicles and goods on both sides.
The ferry, under a joint operation between Guyana and Suriname, has been critical in boosting trade and tourism between the two countries with plans for a bridge across the Corentyne River on the table.
To cater for the stranded persons and vehicles, the Ministry of Public Infrastructure recently announced that it will place the MB Sandaka for work over the weekend. After then, the MB Sandaka will be taken off the route until further notice.
The containers that would come and go on the MV Canawaima will remain stranded.
Yesterday, government spokesman, Joseph Harmon, disclosed that this matter was discussed at Cabinet this week. He noted that the MV Canawaima was limping along for some time and it was being towed by a tug that moves the vessel between Guyana and Suriname, along the Corentyne River.
He said that the issues in relation to the ferry itself are issues which have engaged the attention of the leaders of the two countries – President David Granger and President Desi Bouterse.
A high level meeting was held right here in Guyana, where it was agreed that two Good Officers would be appointed to further the issues.
According to Harmon, there are issues of financing of the ferry and related activities which the two countries will have to work out.
“We have completed…we have done what we need to do as our obligations under the arrangements.”
According to Harmon, work will have to be done to get the two sides together and recognize that the ferry operation is a service which the people of both countries depend on.
The Director General of the Ministry of the Presidency did not rule out the possibility of the Ministry of Public Infrastructure placing one of the country’s ferries to ensure that there is a service.
The official made it clear that the government will not encourage the current backtrack operations on the Corentyne which allows Guyanese to travel to Suriname on speedboats.
The arrangements are informal and while Suriname has arrangements to check who enters the country, Guyana has nothing.
Guyana may contemplate regularizing the arrangements, he said.
The Canawaima Ferry Service Inc. was incorporated in Guyana on October 28, 1998 under the Companies Act No. 29 of 1991 of the Laws of Guyana. It is jointly owned by the Governments of Guyana and Suriname.
It is the holding company for the Canawaima Management Company N.V, a wholly owned subsidiary which was incorporated in Suriname. The Canawaima Management Company N.V in turn wholly owns two (2) subsidiaries – Transport and Harbours Department Inc. which was incorporated in Guyana and Scheepvaart Maatschappij Suriname (SMS NV) which was incorporated in Suriname.

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