Vreed-en-Hoop to G/town water taxi operations back to normal
The Vreed-en-Hoop to Georgetown water taxi operations have returned to normalcy just days after the Stabroek Market wharf structure collapsed injuring five persons.
The Maritime Administration Department (MARAD), which had initially shifted operations to the Harbour Master Boathouse following the incident, has now allowed water taxis to resume using the Stabroek stelling for boarding and disembarking passengers.
“The area was inaccessible from 17:30hrs to 20:00hrs daily following the collapse of the Stabroek wharf on Wednesday, April 17, 2024. However, commuters travelling between Georgetown and Vreed-en-Hoop via water taxis are advised that the area is now safe for use from 05:30hrs to 20:00hrs daily,” a statement from MARAD read.
An aerial view of the collapsed wharf (DPI photo)
While minor injuries were reported among the five transported to the hospital following the collapse on Wednesday morning, no major injuries or fatalities were reported.
The incident has sparked concerns about the maintenance and oversight of city structures by City Hall, prompting President Dr Irfaan Ali to emphasise the need for immediate action and accountability in addressing infrastructure challenges in the city.
A water taxi
“We’re discussing right now…the issue of key assets within the city that are not being maintained, that are left in a state that is dangerous to the city and we’ll have to decide how we address those key assets,” President Ali had stated when he went to have a first-hand look after the collapse last week.
He added, “we have to make some very strategic decisions on key assets in the city… if we continue to have situations like these where the maintenance and protection of the infrastructures is not addressed, then health and safety becomes a major issue. I think the time has come for a very serious and mature conversation…the city is not in a position and from a management position…the Mayor needs to work closer to the Council in a collective way, because from a leadership perspective, too, [they’re] in no capacity to manage some of these key infrastructure and investments in the city.”
Collaboration between City Mayor Alfred Mentore, the Central Government, and other stakeholders has been pledged to address the situation collectively. A clean-up exercise has commenced to clear the rubble.
