Dear Editor,
REFERENCE is made to an article published on Friday August 19, 2016, on the online media site, Citizens Report Guyana, under the headline, “Region One residents claim PNC’s political gains behind delayed operation of MV Northcote.”In the article, the news entity claimed that the Georgetown to Region One motor vessel, the Lady Northcote, was deliberately delayed in Mabaruma from Saturday August 13 to Wednesday August 24, 2016. MV Lady Northcote falls under the responsibility of the Ministry of Public Infrastructure’s (MPI) Transport and Harbours Department.
MPI therefore wishes to refute the entity’s claims of deliberate delays and to offer clarifications. The vessel is scheduled to provide services to Region One twice monthly, to the communities of Kumaka and Port Kaituma. The vessel last departed on August 12 and its delay was as a result of mechanical issues, as opposed to the purported “political gains” stated in the article.
These mechanical issues not only made departure impossible, but also resulted in the manual loading of cargo. Manual loading is oftentimes difficult, since persons use the opportunity to transport very heavy cargo to and from Region One. Loading would normally require the use of a crane.
The ministry further wishes to highlight that the Lady Northcote has been facing issues for years and efforts have been made to rectify identified problems. Over the years, the vessel – which is more than 75 years old – has undergone a number of dockings and repairs. In fact, extensive repairs were conducted on the vessel in late 2015 to reduce the discomfort of passengers and instances of delays and to improve travelling times. Furthermore, the Transport and Harbours Department is working assiduously to have the MV Lady Northcote’s minor mechanical issues resolved swiftly. The ministry would like to thank members of the travelling public for their patience and understanding.
Regards
Desilon Daniels
Public Relations Officer
Ministry of Public Infrastructure