Vice President of the Speedboat Association Lalbachan Babulal says operators do not want to resort to the path of going on strike but they are appealing to travellers to be “considerate” and pay $120 as the new boat fare.
A few days ago the operators had threatened to strike if a $20 increase in fare was not granted. This meant that the new boat fare would be $120. However, on Wednesday, Public Works Minister, Juan Edghill made it clear that no increase would be granted.
But Babulal is adamant that an increase is crucial at this point.
“A lot of people believe that we don’t have an income not expenditure but I can tell you we have tear than any other transportation in this country because we operating in a close water situation […] We don’t want to strike, we don’t want to move to extortion, we have not done that before and we don’t want to go that way but we are just pleading to the public to see our side as well,” he said.
So far, the public has not had an issue with paying the $120, Babulal related.
“A lot of people had started cooperating just a fraction a few people may be discontented and a lot of people see our side, they know,” he said.
However he noted “the Maritime Administration they have the cadets coming down threatening the operators if they should continue working at $120 they would suspend them.”
If the operators do resort to striking, this means hundreds of citizens could be left stranded on either bank of the Demerara River.
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