No sanctions against boat owners over strike

PARAMARIBO - “There will be no sanctions against the boat owners of Commewijne who went on strike on Wednesday. Even though the boat owners did not comply with the agreements made with the Minister of Public Works, Transport and Communications (OWT&C), we will leave it at that. Because we had been talking to them for two weeks, and the boat keepers in fact had no right to take action at that moment. We don’t want to talk about this anymore and are now looking ahead”, said chairwoman Ann Sadie of the Association of Boatkeepers of the Commewijne District. Sadie went on to say that “even though the board does not support the actions of the members, it can understand the position of the boatmen.” “We now aim to bring peace to all sides. We are now back at the minister’s table and are once again addressing the issue of fuel compensation, which has not been paid to the boatmen for 24 months,” Sadie said. The minister is reportedly sticking to the fact that the previous union chairman had signed an agreement with the ministry in 2017 which states that the rates per trip have been increased to SRD 1.75, resulting in the abolition of the fuel compensation. The minister therefore assumed that the ministry did not have to give the boat owners any fuel compensation. On the other hand, the boat owners indicate that they were not aware of this agreement, which was signed by the previous board. The members therefore still want to receive their money. The fuel compensation has not been paid for 24 months. Another issue that the boat owners are also considering is the readjustment of the rates. The board had to make a cost calculation and they discussed this with the minister on Friday. Soon, the ministry, together with the boat owners, will determine the rates for a boat ride per person.