-by Kyler Rollins
The continued suspension of the Guyana-Suriname ferry service is now being felt directly by travellers and operators who depend on the crossing for transportation, trade and tourism.
The M.V. Canawaima remains out of service as Guyana and Suriname continue to deliberate over the vessel’s operational requirements and a temporary replacement.
Guyana has formally permitted the use of the back-track or fast-track route, allowing persons to travel between the Guyana and Suriname by small boats while immigration procedures remain in place.
One licensed boat operator, Mohamed Mursaline who owns Golden Gloves boat service told NCN News that as of today, Surinamese authorities have stopped the boats from plying the route, stating that they have not issued licences to any Guyanese operators.
However, Mursaline is concerned about the increase in passengers using the back-track route from Suriname, particularly due to safety considerations.
”Boat register to carry 12 persons and it can carry 12 and lesser. They said the littlest kid should count as a head which is right but boat a carry 26, 27, 30 persons and they just bypass and go just so. And these boat them, night time or day time they carry extremely plenty load which is bad,” he said.
Passengers are equally frustrated by the ongoing disruption.
One passenger, Roy Chetram said he had been stranded in Suriname since last Friday and was forced to spend more than SRD $20,000 on food, accommodation and transportation to return to Guyana.
While grateful to have made it back home, he says many others remain stranded in Suriname and are still waiting to return home.
“I think it really affecting not me alone maybe hundreds of people. There’s people over there right now at the hotel can’t come because their vehicle stall especially some Green Ice cab from Georgetown. All of them over there,” Chetram explained.
When NCN News visited the Canawaima Ferry Stelling at Moleson Creek, the disruption was visible.
Freight trucks, buses and private cars remain parked at the stelling, with their occupants having left the area to seek food and shelter as the ferry remains unable to operate.
A Brazilian tourist has spent the last five days at the stelling.
”We are staying here. Of course during the night we go out of the public place and we are running out of water, energy and food,” Arthur Yamamoto told NCN News.
Government of Guyana says it remains in daily contact with Suriname to resolve the suspension of the M.V. Canawaima.
A proposed replacement vessel was rejected by Suriname, but Guyana is seeking to identify and propose another alternative vessel.