A fishing crew from the No 66 Fisheries, Corentyne was attacked and robbed of over $2M in fish, an engine and other items around 9 pm on Christmas Day and left stranded at Nickerie, Suriname.
Owner of the boat, K. Ramnarine of Line Path, Skeldon told Stabroek News that his captain and four crew members called him around 2 pm on Monday to inform him about the hijacking. He said he sent out an engine for them and they arrived at the fisheries around 10 pm.
His workers related that five pirates, armed with two guns and a cutlass pulled up with a 54-ft boat and demanded that they hand over their fish and fish glue worth about $1M.
They also carted off a 48-hp Yamaha engine, an engine lead, two drums of gasoline, a gas bottle and a GPS. He said the pirates threatened to beat his workers if they did not co-operate.
Ramnarine lamented his loss and said it was “not easy money” the pirates escaped with. He still has to pay his workers and had to find extra gasoline to send out the rescue boat.
Besides, he said fishermen were not getting support from police in Suriname.
He thanked God though that the men were not beaten. He said they left for sea before Christmas and were originally expected back sometime today.
His workers recognized seines in the pirates’ boat and also noticed that the gasoline tank had a wooden covering over it for protection. They surmised that the boat belonged to fishermen from another wharf.
Recently, several fishermen were robbed just off the shore at No. 43 Village of their catch, engine and other items. Five fishermen from the No. 66 Fisheries have been charged with the offence and remanded to prison.
Four of the men were employed with the chairman of the fisheries, Indarpersaud Rampersaud who was also taken into custody and later released.
He had told this newspaper that he had sent the men out to work at sea and was expecting them to return a few days later.
He was shocked to learn that they had allegedly robbed a few fishing boats during that time and said he co-operated fully with the police. One of the boats belonged to Nakool ‘Fyah’ Manohar, 32, of No. 43 Village.
Commander of Police ‘B’ Division, Stephen Merai said two engines were at first recovered along with a firearm. He said that a few days ago police picked up a 40-hp Yamaha engine at the home of a fisherman.
The commander said the engine is lodged at the station and he is asking fishermen to go in to identify it.
Meanwhile, chairman of the Berbice Anti-Piracy Committee (BAPC), Pravinchandra Deodat told SN that he was disappointed at how Merai handled the piracy issue when it happened to members of the No 66 Fisheries.
He pointed out that when a boat belonging to chairman of the fisheries, Indarpersaud Rampersaud was robbed and then burnt, a crew with a boat and engine was taken into custody. Police had also taken possession of Rampersaud’s burnt engine.
According to him, Rampersaud had a difficult time getting his engine back while the occupants of the other boat were released and the boat and engine handed back to them without a problem.
He lamented that the fisheries “all time support fishermen and the fight against piracy” and noted that it does not engage in purchasing fish.
The fisheries provide a service to fishermen by producing ice and selling fishing gear including rope, twine, lead and seine. He said members approached the government for VAT exemption for the items and it was granted.
He said too that in July 2011 when former Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud held a meeting with fishermen, police and other persons he “made a recommendation for a [piracy] squad to be formed and for a special prosecutor to be appointed.”
Further, he said the fisheries as well as members have “spent millions of dollars to fight piracy and assist people.”
