| It has been weeks since some local minibus operators working the Guyana to Suriname route have complained about ill-treatment they have been facing at the border yet the stalemate continues.The minibus operators complain that the situation has worsened. They are once again pleading with the local and Dutch authorities, to make a timely intervention into some unresolved matters which seem to be “getting out of hand” at the Suriname border.The local operators are claiming that there seems to be some amount of conflict over the privileges to be enjoyed by the Guyanese operators and the Surinamese.Anthony “Trini” Boyce and Justino Perez who work along the route said that in the past, the Guyana to Suriname bus service (De Professor Overland Transportation Services) worked at intervals; meaning that they would go to the ferry and put off passengers and the Suriname transportation would take over from there.Boyce said that local buses never crossed the border. But the situation has changed.For the past year and a half, Boyce said that his service has been going from Guyana straight to Paramaribo, Suriname. It is a provision that has catapulted his business to a most lucrative position,Steve Larmer Jersey, he added.But “Trini” said that now that he has expanded his business “the jealousy,Paul Stastny Jersey, the problems and the confusion started.”“It started because the Suriname operators believe that because we are going straight into Suriname that we are cutting out their bread. But this is rather unfair because they do the same thing.”“They take their passengers from Paramaribo straight to Georgetown and all about our city and we can’t intervene. There are no restrictions,Bobby Smith Jersey, but when we do the same it is suddenly a problem. The reason it is a problem, is because we are going daily and they just go weekly. They believe that we are making more money and they are doing all sorts of things to stop us,Stan Mikita Jersey,” he explained.Perez and two other drivers, Friesy Samaroo and Donald Shepherd, alleged that things have gotten to such a state, that yesterday as they arrived at the Canawaima Ferry in District Nickerie,Christian Folin Jersey, Surinamese customs officials stopped them and plainly told them they have to empty their buses since they are not allowed to enter.The bus operators said that they were told that a decision was arrived at on Monday which disallowed them from proceeding beyond the stelling.The drivers said that they were left with no other choice than to leave their passengers and return to Guyana. “This is really unfair. People stop to watch how they made us empty our buses and post us out. They didn’t even stamp our passports,” Perez said.“We took some tourists from Europe and it was very embarrassing. The Suriname authorities treated us so hostile. When will this come to an end?” another driver complained.The Guyana Embassy had contacted the Surinamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs which promised to speak with their customs authorities pertaining to the issue. A meeting was slated to be convened and the drivers said that they need to be included.The minibus operators told this publication that are now pondering what will happen because they have passengers, inclusive of sports teams and tourists from different parts of the world,Patrik Berglund Jersey, booked for trips.Guyana to Suriname operators are now required to provide a manifest which declares the names of the passengers and how many they are taking to the Dutch-speaking country.Boyce said,Johnny Oduya Jersey, too, that they are not allowed to leave the country with any passenger who is not manifested or else their vehicles would be impounded.“So we cannot leave without the names on the manifest. Now we don’t know when they are coming back and because of that, we have suffered losses for several months. But guess what?”“Eventually that system they put in place to stop us started out working for us. We started getting a series of people that we took before and business was up and running smooth again.”And now they are angry because of that. They started destroying our wheels, breaking our windows,Joakim Nordstrom Jersey, scratching up the buses and all sorts of cruel things.“They are trying to do everything to prevent us from making a living. We are calling on the relevant authorities to help us because they have threatened to do worse,Scott Hartnell Jersey,” Boyce said. |
