Canawaima Ferry Service issues: State reps to assess situation in Nickerie

Ever since the ferry service between Suriname and neighboring Guyana which is maintained by Canawaima Ferry Service has stopped operating, the government of Suriname has taken the necessary actions to make the service operational again. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Justice & Police (Juspol), Defense, Public Works, Transport & Communication and Regional Development discussed the ferry service issue with the Nickerie district commissioner and representatives from Customs, the Health ministry and the National Coordination Center for Disaster Control (NCCR). The main objective of the meeting was to find a rapid and sustainable solution to the problem .It has been decided that a visit will be made to Nickerie by the representatives to assess the situation. Furthermore, the patrols on the Corantijn River will be beefed up and a checkpoint will be established to monitor and regulate the movement of people and goods, while protecting the public health. A working group will be established as soon as possible for the development of sustainable solutions for the illegal route between both nations which is generally referred to as the ‘backtrack route’. The community is asked to comply with the immigration rules and to follow the instructions of the local authorities.