Search efforts continued yesterday for three missing Guyanese sailors and the cargo vessel MV Oliver L.
Missing are captain of the vessel, Wexton Andrews called ‘Mampy’, 33, of Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerara (WCD); Ramdat Roopnarine, 38, of Lot 483 Zeelugt, WCD and Clad Burnette also of the West Demerara area. The vessel left Trinidad and Tobago last Wednesday and should have arrived in Guyana around Christmas.
Roopnarine’s relatives told this newspaper yesterday that searches undertaken by the authorities and the company, with which the men worked, came up empty-handed and the man’s wife, Kamaldhai Sukhoo told this newspaper that the family is concerned about the safety of her husband.
The man’s father told this newspaper last evening that he spoke to the boat owner Johnny Ramdass yesterday, his son’s employer, who related that every effort is being made to locate the men and the vessel. He said, “Johnny (Ramdass) suppose to come or tell we what happening but we have to keep checking with he”. He said, “me ask wat goin become of the situation and he tell me if anything happen to the men them he go tek the responsibility”.
Andrew’s mother, Ivette Floy told this newspaper that she too is concerned about the safety of her son. She said that she has been checking with her relatives in Trinidad but they have not heard anything new from the authorities there on the men’s whereabouts.
She said that the family has been checking with Ramdass for updates on efforts to locate the men and the vessel.
Brushes with
the law
The MV Oliver L has had several brushes with the law in recent times in relation to fuel smuggling and according to relatives of the missing men, there have been instances in the past when the men reported that they encountered law enforcement officials, while operating the vessel, over its cargo.
In 2008, the vessel was seized by the authorities while transporting allegedly smuggled fuel and it was handed over to the GDF Coastguard which was keeping it in custody for the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA). The owners of the vessel had approached the courts and it was subsequently released to them minus the fuel which the GEA seized.
The GEA in a release several weeks ago stated that on November 01, 2011, through Special Prosecutor, Gino Persaud, it secured two convictions at the Bartica Magistrate’s Court in a verdict handed down by Magistrate Faith Mc Gusty.
It said that three defendants: Chandradatt Ramdass, the brother of Johnny Ramdass, (and two of the three missing sailors) Wexton Andrews and Ramdat Roopnarine were found guilty of transporting petroleum in bulk quantity on sea without a bulk transportation carrier licence.
“The penalty ordered was $500,000 each or one year imprisonment. Wexton Andrews was convicted ex parte (he never attended his trial). The three defendants were also found guilty of being in possession of petroleum in a total quantity exceeding 2000 litres without a storage licence. The penalty ordered was a fine of $300,000 each or six months imprisonment. At the time the charges were instituted there was a fourth defendant, Amarnauth Jaggernauth, who subsequently died during the trial. A death certificate was tendered to the magistrate and the charges discontinued against him. The two defendants, Ramdass and Roopnarine, were present in court when the verdict was delivered and requested two weeks from the court to pay the fine. Counsel objected on the ground that the fine was lenient taking into consideration that the statutory fine was three million dollars. The Magistrate refused their request and instructed that the fine would have to be paid immediately or they would be imprisoned. The defendants failed to pay the fines and were subsequently taken into custody but were later released after the fines were paid”, the GEA related.
Intensified
Search efforts have intensified over the past several days to locate the men and the vessel and the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority has urged low flying aircraft and marine vessels to be on the lookout for the men
Works Minister Robeson Benn met officials of the relevant agencies and Ramdass this week. Ramdass told this newspaper that the 56-foot long Oliver L is equipped with communications equipment and while it has experienced mechanical problems in the past, the vessel was outfitted with a new engine recently.
Ramdass said in the past the crew of the vessel had been “tardy” in reporting their position at sea and as such when the estimated time of their arrival passed, he did not think anything of the situation. However, as time passed on the recent voyage, he became worried, noting that the men’s safety as well as the welfare of their families is of great concern to the company.
