The government is reviewing issues of safety that have arisen following the boat accident that occurred in the Corentyne River on Friday and which claimed the lives of two women.
On Friday a ‘backtrack’ (illegal operator) boat carrying ten passengers including the captain capsized in the Corentyne River shortly after leaving the Guyana shore. The boat got entangled in a fishing net and began to take in water. Two female passengers subsequently drowned in the mishap while eight others survived by hanging on to floating objects which were in the boat. There were no lifejackets on board.
The body of Ashrani, 48, of Annandale, East Coast Demerara was found the same day in the vicinity of No. 64 Village, Berbice, while on Monday the body of Cheryl Peters was found floating in the vicinity of No. 74 Village, Berbice. Post-mortem examinations performed on the two victims proved that they died from drowning.
Director of the Maritime Administration Department, Stephen Thomas told this newspaper yesterday when contacted for his department’s response to the accident, that any information to be released to the press would have to be channelled through the Government Information Agency (GINA).
Samantha Mohan, one of the survivors and the daughter of Ashrani, had told this newspaper that before they left the landing on Friday her mother was asking the boat captain for a lifejacket but none was given to her. None of the other passengers had lifejackets and the captain left in a hurry, she said.
Minister of Public Works Robeson Benn yesterday noted the issue of jurisdiction in the Corentyne River and said the government’s response hinged on that fact. The only official port of entry the minister said was where the ferry berths at Moleson Creek.
He pointed out that every other port was illegal and therefore unregulated. Authorities here are nevertheless reviewing the situation with regard to what could be done ‘on our side’.
Asked why government has not made any move to regularize the situation existing at the ‘backtrack’ crossings, Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee said on Sunday that some operators do not want this, while others are bent on breaking the law. “Passengers are well aware that they are travelling on an illegal ferry but yet they go ahead,” the minister said.
The Home Affairs Minister however could not say whether the administration would regulate the ‘backtrack’ operations, but he admonished citizens to use the legal ferry service and desist from crossing via the illegal speedboats.
Mostly traders use the ‘backtrack’ route as it allows them quick access to and from Suriname.
On the Guyana side of the border officers of the Berbice Anti-Smuggling Squad (BASS) usually maintain a presence there along with a customs official who would normally collect duties from passengers importing goods.
The owner of ‘Aunty’s Boat Landing’ where the capsized boat operated from said that they have been registered in Suriname to ply their trade. Apart from ‘Aunty’s Landing’ two other speedboat operators, Eno Bharrat and Roy Ramdass operate the same route. (Christopher Yaw)
