Representatives of the business community in Region Six are optimistic that there would be adjustments on the current toll structure on the Berbice Bridge soon following what they described as a “very cordial and meaningful” discussion with officials of the Berbice Bridge Company.

According to a joint press release by the Chambers of Commerce of Region Six, they see the toll at present as a deterrent to a greater volume of vehicular traffic.

The release stated that the officials promised to take the Chambers’ recommendations as early as possible to the Bridge’s Board of Directors “for discussions and possible implementation in the very near future.”

The Chambers also noted that while they welcome the advent of the Berbice Bridge, in view of the minimal toll charges for minibuses they expressed concern at the high fares being charged for passengers, especially schoolchildren and ordinary workers just to cross the bridge.

The officials of the Berbice Bridge Company who met with  the chambers included Vice Chairman Bert Carter, CEO O. Samaroo and Director Paul Cheong, the release said.

Meanwhile, in an earlier release, the Upper Coren-tyne, Central Corentyne and Berbice Chambers of Com-merce said that twenty members had gathered at the Berbice Chamber’s Office in New Amsterdam on Wed-nesday waiting to meet with the officials when they received a call from one of them in Georgetown asking that the meeting be postponed to yesterday.

The body in expressing their disappointment had noted that a special effort was made to arrange the meeting after the insistence of the Joint Chambers who wrote a letter to the Bridge Company on January 17, 2009 followed by several reminders.

Since the opening of the bridge residents have complained about the tolls charged.

At a press conference in early January, President Bharrat Jagdeo said the  government was not contemplating reducing the tolls for vehicles to cross the bridge.

The President said that as far as he was aware, most commuters had no problems paying the rates.

He said that especially for private cars and minibus operators crossing the river using the bridge, the one-time toll of $2,200 toll was cheap.

He said that minibus operators would especially benefit from this. The President pointed out that if a minibus had to use the ferry, it would be charged $800 for each leg of the trip in addition to charges that the operator would have to pay on the number of passengers in the bus.This, the President said would often amount more than $2,200

Further, Jagdeo said that those who were complaining about the toll had to be reasonable.

He said that it was more cost effective than when using the ferries. He admitted that it would be mainly those commuters who crossed the bridge using four-wheel drive vehicle that may feel hard done by the charges, but he suggested that these people would have to traverse the bridge using cheaper options-such as cars.