The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) in its 2006 elections manifesto made several promises to the Guyanese people and undeniably it has been fulfilling them. This no doubt has caused the people to keep faith with the party and its alliance partner, but noticeably at this elections scheduled for the 28th of this month, the party has been able to attract an unprecedented number of cross-over persons from other parties.
In its last manifesto the party promised improved economic growth, health care, education, potable water supply, housing, infrastructure, support to farmers, electricity supply etc. and it has delivered on those promises. Any objective analyst will testify to this. In this regard, Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr Ralph Gonsalves a few months ago described Guyana as the “only shining light in the Caribbean.”
One of the promises made by the PPP/C in its last manifesto was an improved ferry service for the Parika/Supenaam route and this promise will soon  totally materialise as the state-of-the-art roll-on roll-off ferries will soon arrive from China.
An official at the Chinese Embassy in Georgetown has confirmed that the vessels departed China, en route to Guyana, on October 27 and should be here well before Christmas.
The Governments of Guyana and China, on December 22, 2010, signed an agreement for the building of the ships, at a cost of US$14M, with a promise from the builders that they would be delivered before the end of this year.
The cost to build the ships, however, does not include additional charges for supervision of the works and transporting them to Guyana.
It is anticipated that when the ferries begin operating, the flow of people and goods across the Essequibo River will increase significantly, as the turnaround of the system will be much more efficient and timely.
This is certainly good news for the people who ply the Parika/Adventure route, especially the farmers. The Essequibo Coast is Guyana’s largest agricultural community, but its agricultural potential has been constrained by transportation problems which have restricted farmers to sell their produce to other parts of Guyana.
Now they can certainly breathe a sigh of relief with the imminent arrival of the new ferries. And the people certainly need this relief as they have endured tremendous transportation woes for a very long period of time.
This is yet another testimony to the government’s commitment to bring an end to the woes affecting the people of this country and also an assurance that it does not make false promises.
The true agricultural potential of Essequibo has now been given a golden opportunity to unleash itself and increased trade and commerce between Essequibo and other parts of the country will also be enhanced.
The people of this country should never forget that under the PNC’s 28- year rule the cries of the people plying the Parika/Adventure route were never addressed. In fact, the ferry service in that era steadily deteriorated. Those who are old enough will recall the regular breakdowns of the ferries, worse yet often in mid-stream, and the suffering endured by commuters.
Under this government, that suffering will be eliminated and a new vista of opportunities will be opened up for the people in Essequibo