— Berbice residents decry toll hike proposels
— Minister Patterson to engage BCCI next week

RESIDENTS who live, work and even travel to Berbice are up in arms over the proposal by the Berbice Bridge Company Inc (BBCI) to astronomically increase tolls to cross the structure.

Speaking to Guyana Chronicle on Thursday, the residents said the proposed increase is unaffordable and should it be implemented, the return of the ferry service will be a saviour.
Government has already indicated that it will not support the request by the BBCI for the high fares.

Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson told reporters on the corridors of Parliament on Thursday that he will seek Cabinet’s guidance and engage the BBCI on the proposed toll increase.

“I am going to the Cabinet to get some guidance on Tuesday and after Tuesday, I’ll obviously sit down to seek to engage the company to see exactly what it is,” said Patterson.

The minister said the administration is not inclined to ever increase the fares for the bridge as it will be too “burdensome” on the commuters.
“We will ensure that no further hardship from the bridge is passed on to the folks or the citizens of Berbice,” he said.
Berbice residents commended Government’s decision to block the increase, pointing out that the huge hike in the tolls would have hindered their ability to work, travel and even take their family to and from the airport.
They said in a situation like this, they would rather wait for about half hour on a ferry to reach their destination.
“That thing can’t happen, better we work back the boat,” said fisherman, Boyo (only name given) in an invited comment.
Boyo, who was at the time knitting fishing nets close to the pump station at Black Bush Polder, said he cannot afford a big increase in the tolls.
After calculating his daily expenses, he said the increase would not be feasible because in some cases the toll would be equivalent to his pay for two days.
The proposed increases seek to move car toll from $2,200 to $8,040; pickups from $4,000 to $14,600; 4WD from $4,000 to $14,600; minibuses from $2,200 to $8,040; small trucks from $4,000 to $14,600; medium trucks from $7,600 to $27,720; large trucks from $13,600 to $46,900; articulated trucks from $32,000 to $116,680; freight from $460 to $1,680; and the toll for boats from $110,000 to $401,040.
Other fishermen who were around echoed Boyo’s sentiments, noting that the fees should be reduced, not increased.

“If they increase it by so much, is best they close it down because nobody gone use it; we would go back to the boat because it worked for us for so many years,” Boyo said.
Cash crop farmer and vendor, Vishramnauth Ragunauth, also agreed that the increase would be too much.

He believes that if granted, it would have punished rice and cash crop farmers, especially those persons who transport their goods to Georgetown.
“The middlemen who buy from us and sell back would drop the prices they pay us and we wouldn’t be able to maintain we equipment and so,” said the elderly farmer.
He, too, agreed that the boat would be more feasible although it would be a backward shift.

Other Berbice residents said they would prefer using the boat service because minibus operators and taxi drivers would obviously increase their fares.
The BBCI had written Minister Patterson requesting that the tolls be increased as determined by the Toll Adjustment Formula which is prescribed in the Concession Agreement of June 12, 2006. Patterson in reply rejected the company’s proposal.
Opposition Leader Bharat Jagdeo had also objected to an increase in the tolls.
The company was contracted to own and operate the bridge for a period of 21 years after which a “fully operational” bridge will be transferred to the government and people of Guyana, at no cost.