Parika stelling assessment to inform upgrade for Caribbean ferry

Last Updated on Wednesday, 22 May 2024, 23:29 by Writer

The Parika Stelling is undergoing an assessment to ascertain the extent of the upgrade that is required for an intra-Caribbean ferry to dock there, but there would be a wider assessment that would include the other destination countries, President Irfaan Ali said Wednesday.

“That assessment is now in its final stages. We are waiting now on the full assessment because there is an assessment in Guyana, Trinidad, and Barbados and then they will see the type of changes that are required at the port or whether there is a change in the vessel that may be required,” he said when asked by Demerara Waves Online News.

He also told other reporters that the assessment was expected in another five days. “That’s going to give us an update about all the technical issues that are outstanding, a gap analysis on the phytosanitary issues, the trade issues, integration of the customs, immigration so we’ll have a full assessment I would say in a week’s time,” he said.

The Parika Stelling is located at the port village on the eastern bank of the Essequibo River. The President earlier this week said Bonasika was being targeted to use the intra-Caribbean ferry to export agricultural produce to the rest of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

“We are fully committed to this project. Guyana is fully committed to the regional ferry. We are fully committed to the expansion of markets into the region,” he said.

Dr Ali on Wednesday said the time had come for the Parika Stelling to evolve into a facility that would include agro-processing, cold storage, farmers’ market, transport and logistics and tourism to serve the Essequibo Islands.