CANAWAIMA FERRY CRISIS: WHY GUYANA AND SURINAME NEED A LONG-TERM SOLUTION

Sep 05, 2026 Letters

Dear Editor,

The MV Canawaima is sailing again. That is welcome news for passengers, businesses and families who depend on the link between Moleson Creek and South Drain. But reopening the route should not be mistaken for solving the problem.

August exposed something more serious than a technical failure. It showed how vulnerable an important connection between Guyana and Suriname becomes when so much depends on a single ageing vessel.

The ferry was cleared to operate after an inspection on 13^th August. Nine days later, the service was suspended again amid safety and technical concerns. Guyana and Suriname did not initially agree on how urgently those deficiencies had to be addressed. What should not be disputed, however, is the principle that public safety comes first.

After further technical work and inspections, the Canawaima returned to service on 28^th August. The temptation now will be to move on. That would be a mistake.

For Guyana, the Canawaima is more than a ferry. It connects Berbice with Suriname and provides businesses with access to another market. It supports tourism, trade and family connections across the Corentyne. As economic relations between the two countries deepen, reliable transport will become more important, not less.

The question is therefore not simply how to keep the Canawaima running. It is how to build a crossing that people can rely upon.

Guyana and Suriname should use this disruption to agree on a long-term plan. Dry-docking and necessary repairs are the immediate priorities, but planning for a replacement vessel cannot be postponed indefinitely. Just as importantly, there should be reserve capacity. One mechanical problem should not be capable of disrupting a strategic international transport link.

The two governments have already agreed to continue discussions on dry-docking and a replacement vessel. Those discussions now need deadlines, financing options and public accountability.

Public infrastructure requires public responsibility. That does not mean governments must operate every aspect of the service themselves. Private expertise can improve maintenance, technology and customer service. But safety, affordability, accessibility and continuity cannot be left entirely to commercial considerations.

Modernisation matters too. Plans for online booking, advance reservations and better capacity management were already being developed before the August disruption. They should now be implemented. Customs and border processes should also be progressively digitised and better coordinated.

For small businesses in Berbice, these are not administrative details. Reliability determines whether goods arrive on time, whether costs remain manageable and whether opportunities across the border are genuinely accessible. Nor should border communities be remembered only when something breaks.

Berbice should be viewed not as Guyana’s periphery, but as a gateway to Suriname and the wider region. The same principle applies across the river in Nickerie. Regional integration means little if the communities closest to the border do not share in its opportunities.

A future bridge across the Corentyne may eventually transform this relationship. But people and businesses need dependable transport now.

The Canawaima is sailing again. The real measure of success will be whether this latest disruption becomes another temporary repair, or the moment when both countries finally build a safer, more reliable and more accountable cross-border service.

Regards,

Vincent Roep

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ageing vessel, Letters, Moleson Creek, MV Canawaima, technical failure, Vincent ROEP

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