Many persons have expressed concern about the need for a new vessel to ply the Georgetown-Kumaka route in light of increasingly rough conditions in the open sea at specific times of the year, says Regional Councillor, Region One (Barima/Waini), Michael Hope. At present the M.V. Kimbia plies this route on a fortnightly basis while the M.V. Barima also does the Georgetown-Port Kaituma route.
Hope contends that the Kimbia is a coastal vessel and not a deep-sea vessel and is not designed to cope with heavy Atlantic seas.
Hope, who often journeys with the M.V. Kimbia, told Stabroek News that many persons who had travelled with the boat during the rough times expressed concern about it. “People always complaining, it (the boat) needs to be upgraded,” he stated. He said that at times when the waves are fierce persons have to sleep on the floor and in extremely rough conditions they have to pick up their mattresses from the deck, hold on tightly and wait until they subside.
He said that around Christmastime and in the early months of the year, the sea is especially rough. He said that it normally takes 22-24 hours to travel the route and while conditions on the boat are somewhat better than in previous years, there is a problem with sanitation. He noted that during the holiday season, the boat is congested as large numbers of people would travel.
Hope declared that ever since the 1992 elections the PPP had promised a new boat to ply the route but to date that has not materialized. “Up to now we never hear nothing about the other boat,” he said, noting that the Kimbia has been working the route for the past 25 years.
The councillor, however, noted that M.V. Barima started working late last year but goes to Morawhanna and then up the river to Port Kaituma. But more persons use the Kimbia, he said. Reiterating that a new boat had been promised since 1992, Hope said that “up to today it is still the same” although representation had been made for this promise to be fulfilled. But it was “like throwing water on duck back”, he remarked, adding that it was the responsibility of central government and many appeals had been made over the years.
Recounting an experience during the last Christmas season, Hope said that the sea was so rough that the boat started to “roll”. He said that the people on board became very scared and put on their lifejackets and they were even prepared to launch the lifeboat but after two hours the seas calmed.
