Corentyne Chamber applauds removal of bridge tolls

The Central Corentyne Chamber of Commerce (CCCC) has welcomed and expresses its sincere appreciation to the Government of Guyana for the landmark decision to remove tolls on the country’s river bridges, including—and especially—the toll on the Berbice Bridge.
The bridges became toll-free as of August 1.
In a release the Chamber said the both residents and the business of Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) will reap the benefits.
“We recall with pride that when the Berbice Bridge was commissioned seventeen years ago, it heralded a new era of convenience and efficiency. The bridge brought an end to the days of delay and inconvenience caused by reliance on the Berbice River steamers, and significantly reduced travel time between Regions Six, Region Five (Mahaica-berbice) and Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) Its construction was a catalyst for the growth of local commerce, facilitating the smoother movement of people, goods, and services,” the release said in part noting that the decision to now remove the toll is a further leap forward.
“It is expected to bring considerable relief to commuters, businesses, and transporters who rely daily on this critical link. By eliminating the toll, the government has effectively put more disposable income into the hands of working people, and has simultaneously laid the groundwork for a reduction in freight charges, travel expenses, and operational costs across multiple sectors,” the release added.
Meanwhile, several persons in Berbice have been high in their praise of the government on making the Berbice River bridge toll-free.
One hire car operator, who ply the New Amsterdam-Georgetown route said that he would have paid in excess of $7 million in bridge tolls while truck drivers explained that the toll for trucks could be between $10,000 and $30,000 to cross the bridge depending on the quantity and type of cargo they are carrying. That cost operators explained is passed on the person they are transporting the cargo for and in the case of businesses, the cost is passed on to the consumer. Where it is construction material or personal items that are transporting, the bridge toll increased the acquisition cost.
The impact of the toll to cross the Berbice River Bridge had been most severe on the working class with one resident of Region Five who works in Region Six and drives to work said that he paid in excess of $45,000 monthly in tolls to cross the Berbice Bridge.
“That is over $500,000 a year just to go to work; that is far more that what some people pay on their installment to own a house.”
Another person, who lives in Region Six but works in Region Five said she could not afford to pay the toll to take her car across the bridge and so would drive to the park and then take a bus to get across the river.
The CCCC said it is of the opinion that the move by the government to make crossing for all vehicular and marine traffic toll free, will not only ease financial burdens on ordinary citizens but will also serve as a stimulus for business activity, helping to revitalize commerce and trade across the region.
“We therefore encourage all our members to ensure that the benefits of this toll removal are meaningfully passed on to consumers. By lowering prices, reducing transportation charges, and easing markups, we can collectively play a part in alleviating the cost-of-living pressures.”
Despite that call, hire car operators plying the New Amsterdam-Georgetown route have refused to drop their fares in the light of this development. The fares, which increased from $1,500 to $2,500 during COVID, never returned to pre-COVID levels. Some drivers have been demanding $3,000 in the evenings.
However, with operational costs being dropped by $1,900 as a result of the bridge being toll-free now, those operators have refused to pass the benefits on to commuters, saying that the price for spare parts have increased. However, buses plying the Number 56 bus route – New Amsterdam to Rosignol, have agreed to drop fares from $300 to $200 per rider.
The chamber took the opportunity to reaffirms its commitment to the government to working in partnership with all stakeholders to promote sustainable economic growth in our region.