By Vanessa Braithwaite

RESIDENTS of the Kwakwani Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) are in high spirits after successfully negotiating with the Ministry of Public Infrastructure for the NDC to secure 35.5 per cent of funds earned from barge crossing.The barge transports vehicles, especially lumber trucks, over the Berbice River, thereby connecting Kwakwani to the access road leading to Linden and several other hinterland communities and logging reservations.

After closure of the state-owned bauxite company Bermine, the barge, which initially served the purpose of transporting large planks of bauxite across the river, was placed in the possession of NICIL.

Persons bade for the use of the barge, but the contract was given to Edwards Crossing. Several questions were directed the then Head of NICIL, Winston Brassington, but the community had no control over the decision made.

The barge has since 2002 been operated by Edwards Crossing, and the only benefit to the community has been the free crossing of the ambulance. With the contract coming to an end, the residents sought the intervention of Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, since the community was not benefiting from the lucrative operation of the barge.

The barge is now being controlled by the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, and the community, through the newly-formed NDC, has secured 35.5 percent of the funds that will be garnered. This is a great boost to the community, as crossing cost for minibus is $2000 while lumber trucks and commercial trucks pay $16,000 per crossing.

On average, on a daily basis, the crossing would sometimes see up to 10 trucks from Chinese lumber company Bi Shan Lin using the facility.

The official signing over was done on Friday, and on Monday the lumber trucks that were stranded on both shores of the river while the issue was being sorted out were given access to the barge.

Besides the barge, the NDC will be garnering funds from rates and taxes, market duties, and the yearly subvention of $3 million from the Government, all of which they will be rallying to increase.

The community has expressed appreciation to Minister Patterson for ensuring its benefit from this operation.