Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson says it is “unlikely” the river taxi service across the Berbice River will cease even as Berbice Bridge toll reductions are set to commence on New Year’s Day.
Patterson told Stabroek News yesterday that feedback from the business community of New Amsterdam has “indicated that since the introduction of the water taxis they have experienced marked improvement in their business and have indicated that they would like the same to continue.”
As a stimulus initiative the government will be inclined to continue the water taxis to work in conjunction with the bridge.
Patterson said, “The river taxis provide a very useful service to students and elderly so it is unlikely that they will be removed completely.”
The minister told this publication that negotiations will commence with the minibus association in the region shortly. Minibuses operators providing services from Rosignol,
New Amsterdam and Blairmont have expressed concern that the water taxis are impacting their business.
The Route 56 Minibus Association had proposed that government work out a schedule that would see the two transportation entities not working parallel with each other so they wouldn’t conflict and compete.
After months of wrangling between the Berbice Bridge Company Inc and the government an agreement was finally signed on December 19 that would see tolls reduced by $300 from $2,000 to $1,900 for passenger cars. The tolls for all other types of vehicles will be reduced by 10 per cent.
On August 10, Minister of Finance Winston Jordan had announced that from September 1, the toll for passenger cars and buses crossing the Berbice River Bridge would be reduced by $300. This statement was made before consultation with the BBCI which is a privately owned company.
The water taxis were introduced after the BBCI remained firm that it would not comply with the reduction, but eventually caved in and negotiations commenced.
The agreement also covers the provision of a $31 million subsidy to the bridge company, which is to be disbursed before the end of today. The reduction of tolls does not extend to vessels. The 2015 budget had allocated $36 million for a bridge subsidy from September to the end of the year.
According to the agreement, the subsidy will not be referred to as a toll reduction but a commuter subsidy to the Berbice Bridge Company Inc, and will not affect the rights or manner in which revenue collected. Going forward, the total amount of the subsidy shall be agreed by both sides, based on the projected traffic figures for the next following quarter and paid quarterly in advance.
Government will bear the cost of the audit to verify traffic figures. Should the audit not be completed within the timeframe then figures provided by the BBCI will be used until such time that the audit is completed with figures to be adjusted accordingly for the ensuing month.
