The dangerous lawlessness on this country’s rivers and coastal waters is taking a toll on human life. Yet, the two agencies with responsibility for regulating riverine traffic − the Maritime Administration Department of the Ministry of Public Works and Communication and the Marine Branch of the Guyana Police Force which falls under the Ministry of Home Affairs − remain silent as the chaos continues and deaths increase.
Last week was the bloodiest for the year. The bodies of Jainarine Deenanauth and Henry Gibson were found in a damaged boat in the Essequibo River which seemed to have been struck by another vessel that continued on its way without rendering assistance. Last week, also, Moses Hardat Narine was killed and several others escaped with minor injuries after two boats collided in the Moruca River.
In May, Jainarine Koshilla, Deanna Ramjit and Sharda Singh died when the boat in which they were travelling on the Abary River capsized. In April, Tulsiram Sukdeo was badly injured in an early morning collision between a passenger boat and another vessel in the Demerara River. In February, Asif Ali drowned when the boat in which he was transporting farm produce collided with a speedboat near Lannaballi on the Essequibo River, in the twilight hours.
It is well known that residents of riparian areas rely almost exclusively on boats to go about their daily business, including travelling to townships, schools and farms. But as the population grows, the numbers and types of vessels increase. Water taxis are used by thousands of persons and some government officials to move among the Essequibo Islands and elsewhere. Boats with powerful engines speed through narrow waterways just as motorcars speed along roadways. The difference is that there is less law enforcement on the rivers than on the streets.
In the wake of last October’s tragedy on the Corentyne River in which seven persons died, Minister of Public Works and Communication Robeson Benn admitted that crossings of the Corentyne River by speedboats were “unregulated.” His colleague Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee simply urged persons travelling to Suriname to use the legal Corentyne crossing. Yet, neither of the two ministers attempted to use his authority to regulate or to terminate the illegal operations which are the cause of theses accidents. Regulations exist but are simply not enforced by the two sluggish ministries.
The Maritime Administration Department, for example, can prescribe the level of competence of the ‘captains’ and conduct tests before they are licensed to carry passengers. It can determine the structure and design of boats; the number of passengers; the safety equipment and the hours of operation as a condition for the issue of the river-worthiness certificates. Boats plying the rivers can be inspected with their equipment and re-certified every year. Only if the boats and equipment are found to be in good order would a certificate be issued; if not, the department should specify that the defects and deficiencies are to be corrected before the craft is used again.
The Marine Police should be equipped to patrol the busiest and most dangerous crossings and should also be trained to conduct search and rescue operations in emergencies. They are empowered to take enforcement action against operators who fail to comply with regulations which govern riverboat traffic.
There has been a clash between the daily, traditional needs of the ‘canoe’ economy of riverine communities and the modern, motorboat activities of the commercial, governmental and leisure sectors. This clash, clearly, has resulted in fatal collisions. The ministries can prevent further needless loss of life if they try to discharge their responsibilities more efficiently.
