Police were yesterday summoned to the Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD) dock at Kingston, after passengers stormed and overloaded the Lady Northcote ferry, demanding to be taken to the North West District with or without tickets.
After the ticket-less excess would-be passengers – including teachers, students, miners and business persons – finally disembarked on police orders; the stranded persons left the area to seek accommodation.
When Stabroek News arrived at the harbour some time after 10 am there was a heavy police presence. Officers commanded that everyone disembark the vessel. Persons could then be seen exiting the vessel minus their luggage. Others were on the sidelines with luggage and could be heard arguing about who should be given preference to travel.
A police source told this newspaper that they received a call from the T&HD that persons, who had not purchased tickets, had boarded the vessel destined for Port Kaituma, North West District, with their baggage. They did not want to leave so that legitimate passengers could take up their places.
The source said when they arrived, the vessel was overcrowded and in an effort to rectify the situation the decision was made that all persons would disembark and then legitimate ticket holders would re-board. Persons who did not have tickets had to then also remove all personal effects.
Cargo capacity
Detailing the events leading up to the police arrival a T&HD official explained that tickets were sold on a first-come, first-served basis. As such when the vessel reached its maximum passenger and cargo capacity all ticket sales were halted and persons were told of the next available ferry.
The number of people who showed up to travel aboard the Lady Northcote yesterday was nearly two times the allocated passenger capacity. When persons were told they would not be able to travel there were loud outbursts. Numerous passengers, insisting on travelling with or without tickets, bypassed security and boarded the ferry.
The reason for yesterday’s large turnout a T&HD worker opined was because miners usually cease work during the Christmas holidays and travel to the coast to visit family and relatives. Work usually resumes mid-January and it is for this reason that not only miners but persons from the business community were travelling or sending rations to capitalize on sales.
Two teachers from the Matthew’s Ridge School—Gary Zaria and Ivory James—explained that they would be stuck until next week if they were not allowed to travel yesterday. They felt that preference should be given to public servants and students returning to work and school respectively.
Another man who gave his name as Larry said that he boarded the vessel without a ticket because he had to return to his mining camp by weekend and could not see himself staying in the city another day because he was strapped for cash. He said, “I ain’t gon lie I had to borrow money to buy a whole heap a ration and when they tell me dem ain’t get ticket I just get vex and put me thing on and seh if they want dem could tek it off. Is only $3,000 we is pay to go in with boat and look how much thing you could carry. Me ain’t get money, sis, to pay plane, I sorry.” Asked if he realized the danger overloading the boat could pose he said he was well aware but, “All ahwe gat to dead somehow.
Is not de first time dis boat going overload. Ask dem in deh about danger; you think they kay? In deh, dem is tek people money and crowd we up anyway, suh wuh!”
Passengers after realizing that the police were going to enforce the TH&D rules called taxis and relatives to collect them. They then left, but not before using expletives and other choice words to express their frustration.
