Speedboat operators strike after Govt. denies request for fare increase

Dec 10, 2022 News

Kaieteur News – A month-long battle between speedboat operators and the Government for an increase of the Stabroek Market to Vreed-en-Hoop water taxi fare resulted in a strike on Friday.

The move by the speedboat operators resulted in hundreds of persons being left stranded for hours at both the Stabroek Market and Vreed-en-Hoop Stellings.

This promoted Government to utilise boats belonging to Sheriff Security, the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), Guyana Police Force (GPF) to shuttle the stranded passengers, many of whom had to go to work.

One of the boat operators, Hussain (only name given), said that he and his colleagues decided to strike because the government has refused to increase the water taxi fare from $100 to $120.

“We approach Edghill [Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill] a month ago to increase the fare but he deny we”, Hussain said as he explained the reason behind the strike.

The frustrated boat operator said that consultations were also had with the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) but that agency also denied their request.

Hussain admitted that despite the fact they did not get an approval to increase the fare, he and his colleagues started charging passengers $120 because they believe that $100 is insufficient to sustain their operations and maintain their families.

“They deny us but we went ahead and print out paper with the new fare and paste up in we boat and MARAD get vex and penalize one of the boat operators,” Hussain told this newspaper.

In another failed attempt, the men approached the authorities with the hope that approval would be granted. They explained that fares were last increased 13 years ago.

“Times have changed and cost of living has risen and all we are asking for is $20 more,” he said while adding, “We have boat owners who got captain working for them and these men demanding more wages because they feeling the squeeze with the cost of living but the owner can’t afford to give them a raise and still maintain their boats if the fare remains at a $100.”

Despite their pleas, the government refused to grant the boat operators an increase and threatened to penalize and suspend them from operating should they continue to charge passengers $120.

This prompted the strike action by the boat operators.

Meanwhile, Junior Public Works Minister, Deodat Indar met with the operators to hold discussions but from all indication, Government is holding firm on its position and will not grant the $20 increase.

In a press release, MARAD said it “wishes to reinforce that the fare for the Georgetown to Vreed-en-Hoop crossing remains $100 ”.

In an attempt to counter the strike action, the government brought in 14 boats from the Parika boat service to back up the ones owned by the GDF, GPF and Sheriff Security to shuttle persons across the Demerara River.

Six GDF buses were also provided to shuttle passengers (free of cost) across the Demerara River (Demerara Harbour Bridge) from Ashmins building Hadfield and High Streets, Georgetown to the Vreed-en-Hoop junction West Coast Demerara (WCD) and vice versa.

The buses reportedly began working at 14:00hrs and stopped at 20:00hrs.