Minister Raymond Landveld of Transport, Communicatie en Toerisme (TCT) has pledged that clarity must be provided within two weeks on a new calculation model for the fares of boat operators on the Paramaribo–Meerzorg route.
Representatives of the boat operators discussed three major bottlenecks during the consultation with Minister Landveld and officials from the cabinet: the lack of a fare adjustment, compensation for rising fuel prices and backlogs in the renewal of sailing permits.
According to the boat operators, the last fare adjustment dates back to 2023. Since then, operational costs, including fuel costs, have risen. To arrive at a new fare, work is being done on a transparent calculation model that takes the various cost components into account.
Edgar Dikan, representative of the Kabinet van de President, stressed that the calculation must be clear and well substantiated. “The components used in the calculation must be clear and transparent so that a substantiated amount is reached,” he told the Communicatie Dienst Suriname (CDS).
Proposal to president
Minister Landveld indicated that the calculation model must be completed within two weeks for further decision-making. On that basis, a proposal for a fare adjustment can be submitted to President Jennifer Simons for approval.
In addition to the fares, possible fuel compensation was also discussed. Consideration is being given to compensation schemes that apply to other transport sectors. According to the parties involved, further coordination with the Ministry of Financiën en Planning is necessary.
Commission to address permit issue
Another major bottleneck concerns the backlogs in renewing permits for the boat operators. To address this problem, a commission will be established to determine where the required documents are located and how administrative processing can be accelerated.
Dikan says it was agreed during the consultation that the various parties will jointly work on solutions. Communication between the board of the boat operators and the Ministry of TCT must also be improved.
Boat operators’ action leads to emergency consultation
The meeting followed the protest action on Monday, November 2, in which private boat operators drew attention to problems they have been facing for some time. The action was aimed at obtaining clarity on fares, permits and rising operating costs.
With the agreements reached, the parties involved hope to address the bottlenecks within the sector and safeguard the continuity of the ferry connection between Paramaribo and Meerzorg.
For now, no decision has been made on the level of any new ferry fare or the introduction of fuel compensation. The next two weeks should provide more clarity on the proposed fare adjustment.
