Demerara speed boat passengers continue to suffer a host of indignities, what are the authorities doing?

Dear Editor,

I am penning this letter to you out of utter frustration about the brutal advantage being taken of the commuters of Guyana who use the mini buses and speed boats. The incompetent authorities chose to increase the fares without consultation, with promises that seem far better than the APNU+AFC’s manifesto. Ironically the situation remains the same and the fare increase has affected commuters savagely. Likewise, the speedboats are exploiting passengers and after constant complaints via the various methods available, the authorities finally paid heed and started a temporary campaign and issued advisories through the media. The persons responsible have failed to monitor them continuously and so the speedboat operators have returned to their normal ways, including charging two hundred dollars instead of one hundred dollars on Sundays and Holidays, whilst still fulling their boats.

Editor, meanwhile, commuters’ lives are being put at risk and they face all sorts of attitudes, harassment etc. I have mentioned by letter before about the women and girls being put into uncomfortable positions, especially those wearing skirts or dresses. Whenever the water level is high, a step is provided to assist commuters but it magically disappears after a while.

During the rush hour (morning/afternoon) periods, there’s massive chaos as each boat tries to load before the boat in front and attempts to make more trips. The operators would be cursing each other, hitting other boats hard whilst maneuvering and operating in an angry manner. Commuters are feeling the brunt of it, mainly by being spoken to in an aggressive manner.

Most of the passengers are not seated properly before the boat has already turned around and is speeding away. On Wednesday, 12th December around 4:30pm, one boat leaving the Vreed-enHoop Stelling empty, had both engines running at full revs and missed crashing into a boat from Georgetown that was full of passengers all because the captain was hustling to dock before a few other boats in front of him. Many other operators that witnessed the near mishap advised the captain to report him which he promised to do, but I am not sure of the outcome.

Finally, Editor, on Friday 21st December as I attempted to board a speed boat at Vreed-en-Hoop at 9:30am, the bowman indicated to me that I could not board. However, another boat (Claire’s Jet) was already moored and waiting to start loading so I decided to board it. My kids and I were the first aboard and surprisingly, I was told that I would have to pay adult fares for two of my children. I objected saying that only a few days ago I travelled with them and I didn’t have to pay adult fares for them. I enquired as to the age limit for the child’s lifejacket. I was told up to three years old. Again, I objected and said that was not true and instructed my kids to wear the child’s lifejacket. The bowman who followed me told the captain that I have to pay the adult fare but couldn’t tell me the age limit. I surrendered in the face of their atrocious behaviour and as I was replacing the child’s jacket, the captain requested it and so I gave it to him.

A few passengers came aboard and it being the Christmas Holidays, many parents were taking their children for a trip. Some who boarded the boat were told they had to pay an adult fare for the children, much to the amazement of the parents. Whilst the boat was being loaded, the captain told the bowman that he must not take in anymore small children because there weren’t any more jackets, but when I looked I could see he had small children’s jackets near to him.

As we reached the Georgetown Stelling, the boat ahead had just docked and as the passengers were disembarking I noticed there was a scarcity of small children. This caused me to wonder the following: have the operators come up with some glorious plan to fleece people for the holidays, knowing fully well that many parents would be taking their children with them to do shopping and in doing so, will shorten their spending money? I know many children are below the age limit for adult life jackets, but they are being forced to wear the adult size so that the boat loads faster, has less weight and therefore moves faster.

What is the age limit for small child? In the US, the law states that children thirteen years old and under should wear the child life jacket. I know many children are below the age limit for the adult life jacket, but they are being forced to wear it. These indignities are continuing and increasing alarmingly.

If those responsible for monitoring cannot do so continuously, they should be replaced. It is time someone takes a look at all of the letters that have been penned complaining about these same issues. There have been no changes and it is time competent people are installed to monitor the situation competently.

Yours faithfully,

Sahadeo Bates