PLANS are apace to undertake maintenance works on a number of ferries under the Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD), that would cost the government a total of $220M, according to Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Annette Ferguson.During a press conference at her Kingston office, Minister Ferguson said that Lady Northcote will be dry docked for two months and serviced at a cost of $70M. That ferry was tasked with plying the Georgetown-Port Kaituma route.
Meanwhile, the minister said, the ferries MV Kimbia, MV Sandaka and MV Barima will also be dry docked for maintenance and this will cost $150M. The North West ferries will be docked until December for maintenance repairs. Other vessels will be assigned to various districts during the docking.
The MV Kimbia is approximately 42 years old and has serviced the North West District for over 20 years but had a torrid history in terms of repairs.
Today the steamer service, which has for many years provided an effective and relatively cheap form of transportation, appears to be declining, partly as a result of modernisation and the emergence of smaller and faster, privately-owned vessels that ply the country’s numerous rivers daily.