‘This going to kill us’

Denis Chesney

Berbicians yesterday condemned the planned hikes in tolls to cross the Berbice Bridge and bus operators who ply the route between New Amsterdam and Rosignol said the move would likely put them out of work.

Denis Chesney, 68, who is President of the 56 Minibus Association, warned that if the bridge tolls are hiked, Berbice would be “getting a lot of thiefman now, because these drivers that got a family to maintain. Where they gon’ find money from?”

According to Chesney, persons who operate their own buses are making an average profit of $7,000 per day, while persons who are working other persons’ buses are making an average of $3,000 per day. “When you got to charge people about $1,000 to come across the bridge to clear you expense for the trip, then you gah pay gas and then pay dispatcher, what gon’ happen then?” he questioned.