Dear Editor,
It gives me great relief to see that there will be new modernized speedboats operating in the Georgetown/Vreed-en-Hoop stellings and perhaps all over Guyana, where speedboats are operating to carry passengers to different locations.
However, I have a few questions for the Hon. Minister Benn, who I understand is spearheading this project.
Everyday commuters have been forced to use the speedboats under the following conditions:
a) Speedboats that have 32 seats and 2 engines, but they always only work one engine and move at a snail’s pace. Why is the operator only working one engine and still charging $80 when they are allocated 32 seats, they were supposed to use both engines as I understand?
b) Every day these operators could be seen wearing a green jersey for the bowman, and a brown jersey for the captain. Most times they still look untidy, although they wear their respective tops(in different styles) and slippers. Speedboats play a major part in tourism, and they ferry all kinds of people every day. Will there be any mechanism in place to make sure that the operators are always dressed properly?
c) Some operators could be seen using marijuana and drinking liquor around the area that passengers use. There are policemen/women station at the Georgetown Stelling, will there be any station at the Vreed-en-hoop Stelling and will there be any plan in place to test and monitor the operators daily?
d) The speedboats work on a turn system, sometimes the operators are not around to put their boat at the area to collect passengers. When that happens sometimes another boat takes its place or they got mixed up with their turn, and passengers are forced to witness the exchange of expletives. Will there be any fine for those who behave like that?
e) There are still speedboats working without enough covering for every seat and rags/towels to wipe the seats when rain is falling.
Who will be put to monitor the speedboats all the time until the next time for fitness to make sure those and other requirements are in place?
Mr. Minister those are only some of the problems that passengers experience daily and nothing seems to be happening, because it looks as if the person who is supposed to monitor them does nothing.
Yours faithfully,
Sahadeo Bates
