Mr. Ramdehall and Ms. Benjamin awaiting the water taxi at New Amsterdam stelling. In the middle is Ms. Taylor from Ithaca.
Three hundred and eighty two passengers capitalized on the river taxi service plying the New Amsterdam/Rosginol stellings’ route – an initiative implemented by the government in an effort to ease the financial burden of citizens crossing the Berbice River Bridge.
iNews understands that the taxis commenced operation on September 21 from 6 am and ended at 6 pm. According to a release from the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, passengers of the taxis included 269 adults and 66 school children and pensioners.
In addition, 47 students used the school contract scheme, which is an arrangement with Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD) that allowed students in the past to purchase a card for $200, valid for a month, to travel on a barge.
A one-way trip from New Amsterdam to Rosignol takes about 10 to 12 minutes and costs $120. That same trip over the bridge takes at least eight minutes and costs $300. However, the service is available to toddlers, school aged children up to the secondary level and pensioners free of cost.
Students enjoyed the service.
Two taxis, which accommodate 33 passengers each, will be operating the route on a one month trial basis. As the demand increases, additional water taxis will be introduced.
Meanwhile, subject Minister David Patterson says he is pleased that there were no hiccups.
“From all reports, it has been a good first day,” he stated. The Minister is also advocating for community involvement.
“When my colleague Minister Annette [Minister within the Public Infrastructure Ministry] and I met the four Chambers recently, they were informed that when this initiative picks up individuals in Regions 5 and 6 will have the opportunity to offer the service. We firmly believe in community engagement.”
According to the release, financially, the introduction of the water taxis is touted by passengers as “a great idea.”
Shoundell Benjamin of Ithaca, a village along West Bank Berbice, was heading over to Rosignol to catch a minibus to head home.
“I really appreciated the move because if I had to go over the Bridge, my return fare would have been between $800 and $1,000. Do you know how much I will be paying today overall? $440….that’s right, half of what I would have paid,” Benjamin revealed.
Passengers were told it was imperative to have life jackets on at all times.
A Bath Settlement resident, Kemo Ramdehall, echoed similar sentiments. He is a student at the University of Guyana, Tain Campus.
This morning, he parked his vehicle at the Rosignol Stelling, used the water taxi, and hopped into a minibus to Tain. The cost of his trip back and forth totaled $640.
“Prior to this morning, I would have had to spend $2,200 to cross the bridge, plus gas. Today, I spent $240 on the water taxi and $400 to and from Tain campus,” the young man pointed out.
Likewise, Vanessa Gangoo and Latchman Linder, who were awaiting the taxi service from Rosignol Stelling were grateful for the new dispensation.
Ms. Gangoo admitted that she was excited about the service and revealed she was going to NA for a little shopping. “A friend told me that it was a great experience.”
When asked about the financial aspect of the service, the Rosginol resident stated, “Well I would have had to pay $600 but now all I am paying is $240 return.”
Mr. Linder, who was accompanying relatives to the New Amsterdam Hospital, added the water taxi service will allow him to spend the “extra money elsewhere.”