…says moving ahead with hefty toll increases

THE Berbice Bridge Company Inc. (BBCI) says it has not shifted its position on the proposed toll increases, despite citizens’ outrage.

Commuters have dubbed the move to impose hefty tolls to use the bridge as unconscionable, but BBCI’s spokesman Kit Nascimento, told the Guyana Chronicle on Monday, that the bridge company will be moving ahead with the proposed increases. “Nothing has changed at this point in time,” he said.

According to him, since the last consultative meeting with Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson and BBCI on October 11, 2018, the Government has not approached the company. The announcement was made on October 16 by Chairman of the BBCI Board of Directors Dr. Surendra Persaud, after Minister Patterson had indicated during the October 11th meeting that he will not be signing a toll order to give effect to the increases.
Nascimento said the BBCI, as stated by the Dr. Persaud, will be moving ahead with the increases based on legal advice on the rights and responsibilities of BBCI and the Ministry of Public Infrastructure.

Minister Patterson has sought legal advice on the matter from the Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister, Basil Williams and according to the attorney general, the unilateral announcement by BBCI is in breach of the Concession Agreement and Section 4.1 Subsection 2 of the Berbice River Bridge Act, which gives the company the ability to specify the toll increases after consultation with the minister.

The attorney general is maintaining that only the minister could publish in the Gazette, the tolls. As such, he said the increases will be of no effect come November 12 – the set implementation date. The proposed rates are as follow: Cars: G$8,040; Pickups: G$14,600; 4WD: G$14,600; Minibuses: G$8,040; Small trucks: G$14,600; Medium trucks: G$27,720; Large trucks: G$49,600; Articulated trucks: G$116,680; Freight: G$1,680 and Boats: G$401,040.

Meanwhile, members of the Central Corentyne Chamber of Commerce at a recent emergency meeting, expressed their shock, astonishment and anger at the recent amended fare structure put out by the BBCI, and openly wondered if the company wants to strangle the citizens of East Berbice. The Corentyne chambers in a statement said, that with the present economy of East Berbice not quite booming following the closure some sugar estates, it is extremely insulting to the citizens to now be faced with this horrendous increase in fares. As a matter of fact, members of the chamber are asking for the present fare of $2200 for motor cars and buses to be reduced to $1500.

“The biggest issue for Berbicians that the government and the bridge owners have to address is that we cannot afford to pay the present fare, so how can any sane and responsible person want the travelling public to pay an increase in fare of almost 400 per cent?”

“The Central Corentyne Chamber of Commerce, being cognisant of the fact that the Berbice River Bridge is the only vehicular link to the rest of Guyana, is asking the government to buy out the existing shareholders, since the company is unable to show a profit in operations to guarantee returns to their shareholders. Whilst we are sympathetic to the shareholders of the bridge being a private company and they should have a reasonable rate of return in investment, the bottom line is the people cannot afford it.” The chamber said that the appalling effects of this fare increase, should it be effective, would cripple Berbice and place the citizens in endless misery. “We are calling on the bridge company, the government, and the opposition to urgently have discussions to find a solution that would entail no increase to Berbicians but a possible decrease in fares.”

Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle, Regional Chairman David Armogan said that while he is not privileged to the information on how the company arrived at the new rates, they are “extremely ridiculous” and unreasonable. “The people of Berbice will not be able to bear that heavy cost to traverse the bridge. Already, we are in some difficult economic situation in the region and the application of a 450 per cent increase on the bridge rates is going to kill us.”

Ryan Alexander, the president of the Berbice Chambers of Commerce, echoed similar sentiments and believes that if implemented, the new rates will create “havoc” and he called on all relevant stakeholders to unite so a solution can be worked out for the benefit of all. “It is time we stop playing with the economy, it is time for us to be more serious and put our energy and our efforts together for the betterment of the economy, more so, the people of Berbice and Guyana because not only Berbicians use the bridge and it will cost them to dig deep into their pockets. It will definitely affect trade and will affect people’s livelihood.”

Mohindra Persaud, the president of the Upper Corentyne Chambers of Commerce said he does not think the rates will be implemented since he believes the government will step in. Persaud said from experience he knows the cost for maintenance for anything increases as it gets older, but feels the BBCI needs to look at other avenues to increase their revenue to help cushion this cost. “No responsible government will want to allow the Berbice Bridge to carry that rate to some 300 and something percent, maybe a small increase but they won’t allow it to happen. I understand the cost of maintenance and interest may be a big cost for the bridge but then there are many ways you can restructure your business model. For instance, like shares and other options to reduce your cost, and that can be worked out, I am almost certain that can be agreed by a responsible government and a responsible owner of the bridge,” Persaud reasoned.