While the ban on travel via the semi-legal ‘backtrack’ route between Guyana and Suriname remained in effect yesterday, desperate Guyanese boat owners were taking their chances in the nights.
President of the Upper Corentyne Chamber of Commerce (UCCC), David Subnauth condemned this move by operators, saying that it was “extremely dangerous” and could only further affect the already strained relations between authorities at Nickerie and the speed boat operators.
Suriname since last Wednesday closed down the illegal migration route which is faster but also facilitates the movement of drugs and weapons across the two borders. Nickerie District Commissioner Bhagwatpersad Shankar was quoted in the Suriname Daily, de Ware Tijd (dWT) as saying that the decision to close the route was made because of “the continuing chaos, confusion and anarchy” associated with it, as well as because bitter competition between boat operators was threatening to escalate. Shankar since Wednesday ordered the police and the army to close the crossing and keep an eye on any illegal movements. DWT has reported that boat operators and taxi-drivers had protested against the closure, claiming significant loss of income, but Shankar insisted that as soon as the operators settled their disagreements they could report to the authorities who would then decide whether and when they could offer the service again.
In an interview with Stabroek News yesterday the UCCC President, Subnauth said that since the closure he has not visited the area to assess the impact it has had on businesses, but he said that any restriction of the service would be dire for the Corentyne and businesses that used the route. “The business community will suffer tremendously because Surinamese come to Guyana and do business, likewise Guyanese go over there to do business,” Subnauth told Stabroek News. The Chamber president noted that not only Berbicians will feel the impact of the closure but also small scale traders from Georgetown, East Coast and West Demerara. Subnauth said that some of the Guyanese traders would usually buy clothing from manufacturers in Georgetown and take it to Suriname for resale. He said similarly Surinamese would come to Guyana on a daily basis to sell various goods. “It is a serious situation especially for the ‘small man’ because he is looking to make a dollar every day
