Guyana-Suriname ferry service to resume tomorrow

Feb 20, 2021 News

– passengers must have negative COVID-19 test result taken 72 hours before travel

The Moleson Creek, Corentyne ferry stelling

Kaieteur News – The Ministry of Public Works announced the resumption of the Guyana Moleson Creek, Corentyne and the Suriname, South Drain Ferry Service on Thursday which will take effect from tomorrow.
In its statement, the Ministry said that the ferry will depart Guyana at approximately 9:00 am and check-ins will be conducted between 6:30 am and 8:00 am tomorrow. The vessel will return to Guyana by 1:00 pm.
The Ministry said that the ferry service will operate every Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday until further notice and due to serious health concerns, only Guyanese and Surinamese will be allowed to utilize the service.
Further, it was stated that diplomat residents in Guyana and Suriname who require the usage of the ferry service will be facilitated upon request through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of both countries. The MV Canawaima vessel is currently in Paramaribo undergoing maintenance works so the MB Sandaka will be used to service the route.
Additionally, it is mandated that every passenger utilizing the ferry service must produce a negative Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Test which must be taken within 72 hours of travel. The statement noted that Guyanese can receive PCR tests at all medical institutions approved, which are the National Public Health Reference Lab and Eureka Medical Laboratories Incorporated, while, Surinamese can have their tests conducted at Suriname’s Public Hospital and the MeDiLab in Paramaribo.
“Passengers are also asked to have all their travel documents required to travel to Suriname prior to COVID-19,” the Public Works Ministry also stated.
The Guyana-Suriname Ferry Service was closed since March last year when Guyana shut down all ports of entry after recording its first COVID-19 case. Discussions between the PPP/C government and Suriname’s government on reopening the borders and allowing the ferry service to resume have been ongoing since last August. In October, the Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony had announced that the two countries will be establishing a team to collaborate on tackling the novel coronavirus. This team, Anthony said, would be responsible for seeing to the synchronization and port health authorities from Guyana and Suriname exchanging necessary information.
It was also announced last year that the ferry service would resume on December 12 but the resumption was cancelled after it was discovered that a caravan of over 100 Cuban nationals was attempting to use the ferry service to come to Guyana and use it as a transit point to the United States of America.

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