In a release today the Chamber said that it had raised the need for the reinstatement of this service with V.P Jagdeo in April last during a Cabinet retreat in Region 5 (Mahaica/Berbice)
The Chamber noted: “ In April 2022, we raised this matter with the Vice President on a Cabinet outreach and it was a promised intervention that was realized today May 30,2022.
The Chamber described the reintroduction of the Berbice River water taxi service as a greatly welcomed relief measure for the travelling public, pensioners and school children of Regions 5 (Mahaica/Berbice) and Region 6 (East Berbice/ Corentyne)
It noted that thankfully pensioners and school children can now cross the river from the left bank to the right bank and vice versa free of charge while adults pay a small fee of $140 compared to having to pay the 56 Route Buses $300 for adults and pensioners and $200 for school children.
The 56 Route Buses ply the Rosignol to New Amsterdam/ New Amsterdam to Rosignol route using the Berbice River bridge.
The Chamber opined that the reintroduction would not adversely affect the operations of these buses since the service hours of the Water Taxis are limited .
The Berbice River water taxi service was initiated by the former administration in 2015 with similar objectives and had run for some time before being suspended as a result of the Covid 19 Pandemic.
