Guyana, Barbados & Trinidad form new company for Caribbean ferry service

President Dr. Irfaan Ali on Friday announced that the Governments of Guyana, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) formed a new company that will introduce a passenger and cargo regional ferry system.

President Ali, while speaking at a contract signing event for the new US$35 million Mackenzie/ Wismar Bridge in Region 10 (Upper Demerara- Berbice), said the company was formed on Thursday.

Through this company, the ferry system is expected to transport passengers and cargo among Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados.

“That will open up massive opportunities,” he said.

Subsequently, Dr. Ali told the News Room that the three governments are still discussing the venture.

“We have to get this going and then we have to work on expanding,” the Head of State said.

Solving intra-regional transportation woes has been a huge focus on the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) for years now. With the current revitalised focus on guaranteeing the region’s food security, solving this problem is also in focus.

Last year, the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) announced it would finance the consultancy services for a study on the options available to establish a new shipping service across Barbados, Grenada, Guyana, and Trinidad and Tobago.

In October, when the AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum was hosted in Guyana, President Ali said the African Export Import (Afrexim) Bank is keen on supporting a Caribbean private sector proposal for an intra-regional system that could allow the cheaper transportation of goods and people via the sea. As such, he encouraged regional private sector players to form a consortia and get the project going.