Pirates terrorized and robbed a fishing crew from the No. 66 Fish Port Complex, in the Corentyne of more than $500,000 in articles before leaving them adrift in Suriname early Wednesday morning.
Five men who were armed and wearing masks carried out the attack, in which they destroyed the power pack and coil from the crew’s engine and threw away the cover and left the men to drift. This occurred around 1am in the Coronie, Suriname area and the fishermen had to build a makeshift sail using tarpaulin. They sailed to the shores of Nickerie and contacted the owner of the boat, Karran Rampersaud, 24, called ‘Vinod,’ who went to their rescue and provided them with another engine.
Rampersaud told Stabroek News his workers, who were badly beaten and sustained injuries, had to seek treatment at the Skeldon Hospital. They also made a report at the Springlands Police Station, after they arrived at the wharf in No. Village on Wednesday afternoon.
His workers said that they were fishing when the pirates pulled up alongside their boat and ordered them to get into the fish pen. Three of the pirates then jumped into the boat and started to “beat them in the fish pen with a cutlass.”
His workers told him too that the pirates lifted out a bottle of gas, a drum of fuel worth $69,000 and 43 large snapper, valued more than $200,000 as well as groceries before escaping.
During the elections campaign, APNU presidential candidate David Granger highlighted the pirate attacks as evidence of government’s failure to protect fisher folk, and he promised tougher laws and better enforcement.
In December, new Junior Agriculture Minister Ali Baksh told Berbice fishermen that Cabinet would be asked to strengthen anti-piracy laws in order to ensure their safety while at sea.
He also said that the ministry will seek to get the police to investigate incidents of piracy, and he urged the fishermen to present any evidence they have of persons involved in piracy, while adding that the ministry is prepared to give them the fullest support.
