Ferry travel between Guyana and Suriname resumed yesterday after an almost year-long hiatus due to COVID-19 travel restrictions.
A total of eight passengers departed Guyana on the MB Sandaka at approximately 9.00 am and eight others returned over the Corentyne River at 1.00 pm.
All passengers required a negative Polymerase Chain Reaction Test (PCR test) before they were allowed to travel.
At the moment, travel is only permitted for nationals of the two countries, Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill yesterday emphasised. He stated that within the coming days, they are expecting to see an increase in persons travelling between the two countries.
Prior to the departure, Edghill carried out an onsite inspection to ensure all measures and regulations were place for social distancing and sanitization on the vessel and in the terminal building.
Travellers between the two countries do not need to go into quarantine once their negative PCR test was done within 72 hours.
He noted that the Surinamese government has put systems in place for returning Guyanese to conduct their testing at Suriname’s Public Hospital and MeDiLab in Paramaribo while outgoing passengers can access their PCR test from accredited medical laboratories.
Meanwhile, the Minister noted that with the ferry back in operation businesses have the opportunity to meet customers’ needs and wants.
He had earlier stated that the business community was affected significantly as they were unable to move goods and services across the countries due to travel restrictions.
This new arrangement will be in effect until further notice and will operate every Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday. Travel for diplomats between the two countries will be facilitated on request.
Weeks after taking up office, the government announced that it was reopening the borders to facilitate movement between the two countries. However, the ferry service remained suspended due to unforeseen circumstances. In December, while discussions were still ongoing on health protocols, hundreds of Cubans had camped out on the Suriname border hoping to gain entry to Guyana. The reopening was then further delayed.
The resumption of service comes on the heels of persons using unsafe routes and means to travel across the Corentyne River.
Earlier this month, two women and a man went missing after they were dropped off on a “sand bank” located at Number 63 Beach while en route to Guyana from Suriname.
Two persons Babuni Harihar, also known as ‘Doris’, 75, of Number Two Village, East Canje, Berbice and Alwin Joseph, originally from Betsy Ground Village, East Canje Berbice drowned while making their way to shore, while the third woman who is also feared drowned remains missing.
The missing woman is Sherida Hussain also known as ‘Sherry’, 49, of Lot 274 Pilot Street, New Amsterdam.
