–Public Works Minister says
MINISTER of Public Works, Juan Edghill, has said that neither his ministry nor the agencies within have given any approval for increased boat and bus fares for passengers.
The minister made this disclosure on Tuesday in the National Assembly, as he responded to questions concerning reported fare increases by speedboat operators plying the Parika to Bartica route.

Edghill told the House that the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD), which is the body that regulates speedboat services in the country, has not sanctioned, approved or condoned overcharging or increased fares.
Against this backdrop, he said that passengers, especially during this Christmas season, must be aware that this is so to prevent exploitation.

“The Government of Guyana, the Maritime Administration Department, the Ministry of Public Works have not approved any increases in fares for speedboats, and I would take the opportunity to say minibuses as well,” Edghill said.
He related that speedboat operators usually organise themselves into a turn system and are organised by their respective associations.

So, any operator that is charging more than the stipulated fare is not doing so with the blessings of MARAD or the speedboat associations in the various areas.
However, he said that what is reported to them from monitors who are at these stellings, is that some passengers, before the boat is full with the number of passengers, would ask the captain to leave as they are late.

Sometimes too, the captains would make their own arrangements with passengers to compensate for the empty seats. However, this, Edghill said, is not an approved or condoned practice by the department.

Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar, told the National Assembly that some weeks ago, the agency held a campaign and as a result, eight operators were detained and some were suspended for the practice of increasing fares without approval.

Against this backdrop, he added that when these reports are received they are subsequently acted upon.
Edghill said that these reports could be made to the monitors who are placed at the various stellings, and he reiterated that an increase in fares was not approved and passengers should be made aware of this.