Mere hours after the Berbice Bridge Company Inc announced that it will increase tolls with effect from November 12, 2018, Public Infrastructure Minister, David Patterson at a press conference stated that government will look at all the possible options to stop the increases.
Earlier in the day, BBCI Chairman Dr Surendra Persaud, made the announcement stating that it followed a breakdown in talks between the government and the Berbice Bridge Company.
According to Persaud, they were formally informed by Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson that government would not entertain their requests for an increase in keeping with the existing agreement.
On this note, Patterson stated that Attorney General Basil Williams is expected to review the matter and advise him on exactly what his powers are.
According to Patterson, he has been written to by associations representing Berbice businesses, who asked that the increases not be passed down to them.
Meanwhile, once everything goes as planned by the Bridge company, with effect from November 12, cars and minibuses will be charged $8,040; pickups, small trucks and four wheel drive vehicles, $14,600; medium trucks, $27,720; large trucks, $49,600; Art trucks, $116,680 to cross the facility. For boats passing through the river, a fee of $401,040 will be charged.
