Following last weekend’s pirate attacks at Pomeroon and the Waini coast, fishermen at the Meadowbank wharf in the city blasted the lacklustre response by authorities to the situation as they consider suspending their operations for an indefinite period to protest.
On Saturday, masked pirates attacked and beat several fishermen who were operating in the Pomeroon River around midday and later that evening several boats were attacked off the Waini Coast.
The police had reported that around 11 am on Saturday, fisherman Shameer Safeek of Good Hope, East Coast Demerara (ECD) and three crew members were fishing in the Pomeroon, Essequibo area when they were attacked and robbed by four men in another boat who were all armed with firearms.
Police say that the armed men took away a fishing seine, fuel, a cell phone and $6,000. They also assaulted Safeek about his body and damaged his boat engine before escaping.
Reports are that on Saturday evening, several fishermen, who were fishing in the vicinity of the Moruca/Kamwatta area off the Waini Coast, were attacked by a group of masked men, who beat them and took away their seine, fish glue, and undisclosed quantity of cash .
The gun-toting intruders took three bigger boats belonging to the fishermen and left the hapless men in two smaller boats. The fishermen were also assaulted about their bodies by the gunmen. The men were eventually rescued by other fishermen.
When contacted yesterday, Crime Chief Seelall Persaud told this newspaper that the police are investigating the series of piracy attacks over the weekend.
Meanwhile, according to sources in Region One, the police, who were assisted by a team of soldiers, ventured into the area off the Waini coast on Sunday but could not locate the pirates’ boats.
A fisherman at the Meadowbank wharf said yesterday that the latest incident has left many fishers traumatised. The man, who asked not to be named, said that fishermen have made repeated calls on the authorities to issue firearm licences to them in order to reduce the incidence of pirate attacks. He said that there have been several meetings as well as exchange of correspondence between the fishing industry and the government on ways and means to limit pirate attacks. He noted, however, that nothing has been done by the authorities to date, given recurring instances of pirate attacks.
“We are appealing to the government to provide us with licences for firearms as a start …so that when these men come to attack we pon sea we might be able to keep them at bay,” the man stated.
He said that fishermen are considering halting their operations for several days in order to protest “this thing, which is something serious, because some people could end up dead at sea”.
He added that the fishermen are even more concerned that there are no patrols at sea by the police or military. ”They don’t even be out there trying to ward off them because if the gunmen know police or army on the sea, they nah going out there,” he noted.
Over the years, fishermen who operate at various ports across the coastland have come under attack by pirates either at sea or in the vicinity of their port.
In February of this year, just off the Essequibo Coast, as many as 15 boats were attacked and crew members severely beaten as they were robbed in one of the largest attacks on fishers over the years.
At one point, a large number of fishermen were locked in the hold of one of the vessels. More than 20 fishermen had to be rescued then from the sea after they were left to drift. There was further tragedy when a boat going to the aid of the battered fishermen capsized off of Suddie and four men died.
That incident led to several fishermen protesting first at Mon Repos and then in front of the Office of the President, where they demanded that security be increased by both the coastguard and the police. As a result of their protest action, they met President Donald Ramotar and had discussed security at sea.
Discussions on having legislation drafted to require vessels to be equipped with homing devices and radios were held. However, many of the fishermen said the price tag was too expensive for the telecommunication and homing devices.
The president had promised to address their concerns, but they say nothing has been done to date to stem the attacks.
