Authorities in Guyana are mobilizing efforts to bring home nationals stranded in Suriname following the temporary suspension of the Guyana/Suriname Ferry Service on February 4.
“We are trying to procure two tugs to aid the vessel to conduct a repatriation for persons left on both ends, both the Guyana end and the Suriname end,” said Vinata Prashad, acting Terminal Manager of the ferry service.
The Management of the Guyana/Suriname Ferry Service announced the suspension to facilitate emergency works on board the MV Canawaima. They expressed their commitment to completing the necessary repairs as quickly as possible and apologized for the inconvenience.
However, conflicting reports are emerging regarding the timeline of the service suspension. A Guyanese national, along with his wife and father-in-law, claimed they have been stranded at South Drain, Suriname, since Sunday after their attempts to return home failed.
The man, who wished to remain anonymous, described their experience as “horrible,” alleging that Surinamese authorities treated them poorly and failed to provide clear communication regarding their situation.
“We were asking to see supervisors, but they told us at the port that no one was in charge. They said we had to go to Paramaribo for any information,” he recounted.
The family had traveled to Suriname last Wednesday, intending to return on Sunday. Upon arriving at the ferry terminal, they were informed that the ferry was not operating and were advised to return on Monday. After multiple attempts to gather information, they stated that they were misinformed about priority crossings and ultimately had to find an alternative route back to Guyana.
The stranded traveler criticized both governments for not issuing official notices about the service suspension, noting that around 50 Guyanese were left in similar circumstances without accommodation.
In response to these claims, Prashad stated, “They cannot be stranded since Sunday; the service was only affected yesterday. They had Sunday and Monday to return. If they attempted to return yesterday, then we can say they are now left stranded.”
Prashad explained that the vessel is operated by a Surinamese crew, who have yet to provide a detailed report regarding the issue with the ferry. She affirmed, “What we are working to do from our end is to have our team go onboard to check what is wrong with the vessel.”
Authorities have assured the public that further updates will be provided as assessments continue and repatriation efforts are put into motion.
