Berbice Chamber calls on Govt to reduce Berbice Bridge toll

The Berbice Chamber of Commerce and Development Association is calling on the Government to reduce the toll for public vehicles crossing the Berbice Bridge Company Inc. (BBCI).

The call comes in the wake of restrictions on the number of passengers hire cars and minibuses are allowed to carry as part of the protocols being put in place for public vehicles during the COVID-19 epidemic.

Public transpiration vehicles are now required to carry one less passenger in each row of seats in a form of adhering to social distancing.
In light of this measure, the route 56 minibuses (New Amsterdam/Rosignol) and New Amsterdam/Georgetown hire cars have increased their fares.
The bus fare has moved from $260 to $400 for a trip from one side of the river to the other, while the hire cars have upped fares from $150 to $2000 for a trip to the City from New Amsterdam.
According to Vice President of the Chamber, Ryan Alexander, the Chamber has taken note of the additional hardship commuters are made to face as a result of those increases.
“We feel at the Chamber that if there is a supplemented cost for two categories of vehicles, which would be those that bring goods into the Region to sell (lorry or canter) and hire cars and minibuses that cross the river. It would help in our fight against COVID-19 in the sense that the cost for transportation could be made cheaper and social distancing could be in effect,” he said.
According to Alexander, the hire car operators have inflated their price because they are now forced to carry fewer passengers.
“If that cost is amended in terms of crossing the Berbice River Bridge, we can possibly drive down the cost to $1500 and they can still practise social distancing by having three passengers in the car.”
As it relates to goods entering the Region, he said if the cost for lorries crossing the Bridge could be amended, then supermarket owners and other merchants would be able to offer goods at a more reasonable price to consumers.
“We are calling on the Government to work with the Berbice River Bridge to have those prices adjusted, possibly to be supplemented, because I know that the Bridge will have operational cost. Just as they offered a supplemented cost from $2200 to $1900, we are hoping that they can have a further supplemented cost for those categories of vehicles.”
He explained that the Bridge still needs to function, but the cost for goods entering the Region and for persons commuting the River should be reduced so that they will be able to afford it; and in the case of passengers, that they will still be able to practise social distancing.
“COVID 19 is a very serious issue, and we need to deal with it holistically,” he said.