The Ministry of Public Works’ Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD), in collaboration with Mobile Money Guyana (MMG+) launched Guyana’s first online ticket booking system for water transport on Saturday.
The platform, which costs some $6.8 million was developed by local technology company, V75 Inc, and aims to mitigate difficulties encountered by ferry passengers in securing places on the vessels, a release from the Department of Public Information (DPI) said.
Delivering remarks at the launch, Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill said that the launch of the new service is in alignment with the PPP/C’s manifesto promise of making life better for all Guyanese.
“At the centre of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic manifesto and work, it is not only about delivering the new roads and bridges, and new four-lane highways, and building better Stellings and hard infrastructure, but at the centre of what we do, it’s people. And whenever we do something that will improve the lives of people, we are achieving what we set out to do,” the minister said.
For a number of years now there have been calls for an online booking system to combat delays in obtaining tickets and corruption.
Members of the public at the launch of the new booking system (DPI photo)
The new system will be used concurrent with the existing ferry system. However, persons who book online will take precedence over those who register in person.
Persons utilising the online booking platform can pay primarily via MMG+. However, the CEO of V75 Inc has assured that other payment options, inclusive of credit and debit cards, will be added in the future, DPI said.
