The continued suspension of the M.V. Canawaima ferry service is forcing passengers to abandon their vehicles in Suriname and use the ‘back track’ route to return to Guyana, as uncertainty over the resumption of the cross-border service continues.
One passenger told Kiskadee Watch yesterday that she had just returned to Guyana through the `back track’ after deciding she could no longer wait for the ferry, leaving her vehicle parked with a family friend in Suriname. “We had to make that decision because the time is winding down. School is reopening,” she said.
The passenger said she was given permission to use the ‘back track’, stamped out of Suriname and back into Guyana, and completed the process in about 14 minutes, noting that the decision to leave the vehicle behind was difficult, but the family needed to return home as school reopening approached.
She said the biggest problem throughout the ferry disruption has been the lack of communication from authorities. “The problem is communication; no one is informing you of anything,” she said. “Just outline the steps and we will follow. So we would be clear of the expectation.”
There appeared to be different systems operating on the Guyana and Suriname sides, leaving passengers uncertain about what they were expected to do, she noted. Her return through the ‘back track’ comes as other Guyanese remain stranded in Suriname, with some now relying on alternative arrangements to get home.
Another passenger who remains in Suriname said yesterday that a number of people had already returned to Guyana by speedboat. He remains there with his pregnant wife and vehicle and said the family was forced to secure a hotel. He said the Suriname government paid for two days of accommodation, but the family now has to find funds to cover additional nights.
He said he was hoping the ferry might resume soon, based on information he had received, but was preparing for the possibility that his wife may have to return to Guyana by air while he remains behind. His children also need to return to school, adding to the pressure on the family.
He was uncertain whether the accommodation assistance provided by the Surinamese government was available to all stranded passengers or was offered because his wife is pregnant.
Meanwhile, according to a government statement published by the Department of Public Information, officials from Guyana have been in constant and daily contact with their Surinamese counterparts since the suspension began.
Two recent technical inspections by maritime experts from Guyana and Suriname reportedly concluded that the M.V. Canawaima could remain in operation until it enters drydock within the next three months.
However, the Maritime Authority in Suriname (MAS) has insisted that certain maintenance matters expected to be addressed during drydocking should instead be completed immediately.
The Guyana Government said it supports safe travel and maintains that public safety is the priority. At the same time, the government disclosed that an alternative vessel proposed to operate the route was rejected by MAS. Guyana is now seeking to propose another vessel while continuing discussions with Suriname aimed at restoring the Canawaima service, even on a short-term basis.
In the meantime, the government said immigration services remain available to persons travelling between Guyana and Suriname by small boats.
Passengers using that option must report to the Immigration Office at the Moleson Creek Terminal for processing before departure and to the Immigration Office in New Nickerie upon arrival. They must also report to the respective immigration offices when departing Suriname.
The ferry suspension has already resulted in passengers incurring additional accommodation, food, fuel and transportation costs, while some have spent extended periods waiting at the ports because they feared losing their position if the ferry suddenly resumed.
Public Works Minister Juan Edghill could not be reached for comment yesterday.
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